how long was francis scott key an attorney?

by Dr. Tony Kirlin MD 4 min read

four decades

What did Francis Scott Key do as a lawyer?

He made his name in 1807 defending Justus Eric Bollman and Samuel Swartwout who had been charged with treason in connection to an alleged conspiracy designed by Aaron Burr. Key served as an advisor to Andrew Jackson and served as the District Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1833 to 1841.

When was Francis Scott Key born and when did he die?

Apr 23, 2021 · Francis Scott Key was an attorney and poet who wrote the lyrics to the U.S. national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." ... the three at sea watched what would become a day-long assault. After ...

What happened to Francis Scott Key after the war?

After serving as a trusted adviser to Jackson for his first years as president, in 1833 Key was appointed U.S. attorney for Washington and served in that position until 1841. Key also became a member of Jackson’s “kitchen cabinet,” a group of close advisers who did not hold official cabinet positions but who met frequently with the president.

Who was Francis Scott Key and the slavery question?

Jun 18, 2015 · Date of Death: January 11, 1843. Despite a successful career as a Washington, D.C. lawyer and service as the United States District Attorney, Francis Scott Key could easily be a name lost to history. Instead, he is renowned as author of one of the most famous poems in American history. Key was born on August 1, 1779, in western Maryland on a ...

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Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779 – January 11, 1843) was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet from Frederick, Maryland, who is best known for writing the lyrics for the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner". Key observed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814 during the War of 1812.

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Where was Francis Scott Key a district attorney?

Despite a successful career as a Washington, D.C. lawyer and service as the United States District Attorney, Francis Scott Key could easily be a name lost to history. Instead, he is renowned as author of one of the most famous poems in American history.Jun 18, 2015

What did Francis Scott Key do and what was his inspiration for it?

On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key pens a poem which is later set to music and in 1931 becomes America's national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The poem, originally titled “The Defence of Fort M'Henry,” was written after Key witnessed the Maryland fort being bombarded by the British during the War of 1812.

Is the story of Francis Scott Key true?

On September 14, 1814, the Battle of Fort McHenry inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." The University of Michigan's Mark Clague corrects some common myths about our national anthem. Myth #1: Francis Scott Key was held prisoner aboard a British ship during the bombardment of Baltimore.Sep 14, 2016

What did Francis Scott Key do for a living?

At the time, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old Washington lawyer and writer of occasional verse, found himself detained on a British ship within sight of the fort. The son of a distinguished judge, he had been born into a family of wealthy plantation owners based in Keymar, Maryland.

Was Francis Scott Key a musician?

Francis Scott Key was an attorney and poet who wrote the lyrics to the U.S. national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner."Apr 27, 2017

Was Francis Scott Key pro War or anti War?

Francis Scott Key is recognized as one of the nation's great patriots despite the fact that he initially opposed America's entry into the War of 1812.Jan 7, 2009

When did Francis Scott Key wrote the national anthem?

September 15, 1814“The Star-Spangled Banner,” original manuscript by Francis Scott Key, September 15, 1814. After an anxious night during the British attack on Fort McHenry, Francis Scott Key wrote victorious lyrics for a song celebrating the Americans' resistance.

Did soldiers hold up the flag at Fort McHenry?

It is likely that they kept the flag hidden in their home in Baltimore for the duration of the war, but Margaret Appleton Baker, Georgiana's daughter, told the New York Herald in 1895 that the flag had actually been sent to England.Jun 2, 2014

Why is the flag shorter today than when it was sewn?

4. Why is the flag so much shorter today than when it was sewn? A. The end of the flag was burned in the Battle of Baltimore.Jun 14, 2013

Was Francis Scott Key a Southerner?

Yet Key wasn't an abolitionist. Instead, he channeled his anti-slavery views through the American Colonization Society. Founded in 1816, the group, run mostly by Southerners, supported the migration of freed people to Africa.Sep 29, 2021

Why is Fort McHenry a shrine?

Known as “The Birthplace of the National Anthem,” Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine commemorates the successful defense of Fort McHenry from British attack during the War of 1812. Fort McHenry was built between 1797 and 1805 as part of the country's first system of forts along the eastern seaboard.

How old is Francis Scott Key?

63 years (1779–1843)Francis Scott Key / Age at death

Where was Francis Scott Key's mother?

Coat of Arms of Francis Scott Key. Key grew up on the family plantation Terra Rubra in Frederick County, Maryland (now Carroll County ).

What is the name of the library that preserved the Francis Scott Key house?

Preservation of the Residence of Francis Scott Key, Special Collections Research Center, Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, The George Washington University. This pamphlet was written by the Columbia Historical Society in an effort to save the Francis Scott Key home from destruction in the 1940s.

What was the indictment against Prudence Crandall?

It accused Crandall of " seditious libel " after two marshals (who operated as slave catchers in their off hours) found Crandall had a trunk full of anti-slavery publications in his Georgetown residence/office, five days after the Snow riot, caused by rumors that a mentally ill slave had attempted to kill an elderly white woman. In an April 1837 trial that attracted nationwide attention and that congressmen attended, Key charged that Crandall's publications instigated slaves to rebel. Crandall's attorneys acknowledged he opposed slavery, but denied any intent or actions to encourage rebellion. Evidence was introduced that the anti-slavery publications were packing materials used by his landlady in shipping his possessions to him. He had not "published" anything; he had given one copy to one man who had asked for it.

What was the alternative to the colonization of Africa?

The alternative to the colonization of Africa, project of the American Colonization Society, was the total and immediate abolition of slavery in the United States . This Key was firmly against, with or without slaveowner compensation, and he used his position as District Attorney to attack abolitionists.

Where did John Smith settle?

He and his family settled in Georgetown in 1805 or 1806, near the new national capital. He assisted his uncle Philip Barton Key in the sensational conspiracy trial of Aaron Burr and in the expulsion of Senator John Smith of Ohio. He made the first of his many arguments before the United States Supreme Court in 1807.

Who wrote the Star Spangled Banner?

Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779 – January 11, 1843) was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet from Frederick, Maryland, who is best known for writing the lyrics for the American national anthem " The Star-Spangled Banner ". Key observed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814 during the War of 1812.

Was the colonization society an anti-abolition?

In the words of philanthropist Gerrit Smith, it was "quite as much an Anti-Abolition, as Colonization Society". "This Colonization Society had, by an invisible process, half conscious, half unconscious, been transformed into a serviceable organ and member of the Slave Power .".

Where was Francis Scott Key born?

Early Life and Career. Francis Scott Key was born on August 1, 1779, in Frederick County, Maryland, to a wealthy clan on the plantation of Terra Rubra. He was educated at home until the age of 10 and then attended an Annapolis grammar school. He went on to study at St. John's College, ultimately returning to his home county to set up practice as ...

What was Francis Scott Key's stance on slavery?

Key continued working in law and became Washington, D.C., district attorney in 1833. He also had a complex, some might say contradictory, stance on race. In his capacity as district attorney, he was noted to have overseen proceedings that upheld the system of slavery, prosecuting abolitionists. Key was an enslaver himself, though he went on record as saying that the system of slavery was full of sin and "a bed of torture." He also helped establish the American Colonization Society, which advocated the transport of African Americans to Africa. Information on Key's relationship to race and his D.C. legal career can be found in the Jefferson Morley book Snow-Storm in August: Washington City, Francis Scott Key, and the Forgotten Race Riot of 1835.

What book did Francis Scott Key write about race?

Information on Key's relationship to race and his D.C. legal career can be found in the Jefferson Morley book Snow-Storm in August: Washington City, Francis Scott Key, and the Forgotten Race Riot of 1835.

Who declared the Star Spangled Banner the national anthem?

Decades later, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson declared "The Star-Spangled Banner" should be played at official events. On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover along with Congress had the song declared the U.S. national anthem.

Who wrote the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner?

Francis Scott Key. Francis Scott Key was an attorney and poet who wrote the lyrics to the U.S. national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner.".

Who killed Laci and Laci?

Scott Peterson is best known as the man who murdered his eight-month pregnant wife, Laci, and their unborn child in 2002. A jury sentenced him to death by lethal injection.

Who is the King of Ragtime?

Scott Joplin. Viewed as the "King of Ragtime," Scott Joplin was the foremost composer of the genre in the early 20th century, known for works like "The Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer.". (c. 1868–1917) Person.

Who was John Skinner?

Army Colonel John Skinner, who had arranged several exchanges of British naval officers, accompanied Key. Mason also asked the senior British prisoner in Washington, Colonel William Thornton, to have his fellow prisoners write letters describing their humane treatment. Key collected the letters before he left.

Who wrote the Star Spangled Banner?

…bombardment, but on that occasion Francis Scott Key , inspired by the sight of the night engagement, wrote “The Star Spangled Banner,” later adopted as the United States national anthem. “The rockets’ red glare” has continued to memorialize Congreve’s rockets ever since.…

Who was the General that agreed to release Beanes?

They soon entered into prisoner-exchange negotiations with General Robert Ross and Rear Admiral George Cockburn. Ross and Cockburn, swayed by the letters from the British prisoners, agreed to release Beanes but with one provision: that Key, Skinner, and Beanes not leave the harbour until after the attack on Baltimore.

Who defended Aaron Burr?

In his first decade of practice, Key appeared numerous times before the United States Supreme Court, once (1807) to defend two associates of former U.S. vice president Aaron Burr against charges of treason. Britannica Quiz. American History and Politics Quiz. Who drafted the U.S. Declaration of Independence?

When was the Star Spangled Banner adopted?

After a century of general use, the four-stanza song was officially adopted as the national anthem by an act of Congress in 1931.….

Where was Francis Scott Key born?

Place of Birth: Middleburg, Maryland. Date of Birth: August 1, 1779. Place of Death: Baltimore, Maryland. Date of Death: January 11, 1843. Despite a successful career as a Washington, D.C. lawyer and service as the United States District Attorney, Francis Scott Key could easily be a name lost to history.

What was the first stanza of the poem called?

The first stanza of this poem is well-known to Americans as the lyrics to the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”. After the war, Francis Scott Key continued to live a very religious life.

What did Francis Scott Key do and what was his inspiration for it?

Key observed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814 during the War of 1812. He was inspired upon seeing the American flag still flying over the fort at dawn and wrote the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry“; it was published within a week with the suggested tune of the popular song “To Anacreon in Heaven”.

Who was Francis Scott Key and what did he do?

Francis Scott Key, (born August 1, 1779, Frederick county, Maryland, U.S.—died January 11, 1843, Baltimore), American lawyer, best known as the author of the U.S. national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Why was Francis Scott Key at the battle?

Attorney Francis Scott Key witnessed the twenty-five hour bombardment of Fort McHenry from a British troopship anchored some four miles away. He had boarded the ship to negotiate the release of an American civilian imprisoned by the British, and had been detained aboard as the bombardment began.

Who was Francis Scott Key quizlet?

Francis Scott Key was an attorney and amateur poet from Washington D.C.. He was the author of the lyrics (words) of “The Star-Spangled Banner”.

Why was Josette Dugas pro War?

Why did JOSETTE DUGAS support the War of 1812? Being from New Orleans, she favors the French and thinks that the British are ruining trade with their actions.

What are 3 facts about Francis Scott Key?

Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) was a successful attorney and amateur poet whose one notable verse, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” became the national anthem of the United States. Poet and attorney Francis Scott Key was a witness to the relentless bombing of Baltimore’s Fort McHenry by the British during the War of 1812.

What was the War of 1812 over?

War of 1812, (June 18, 1812–February 17, 1815), conflict fought between the United States and Great Britain over British violations of U.S. maritime rights. It ended with the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty of Ghent.

How old was Francis Scott Key when he wrote the national anthem?

At the time, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old Washington lawyer and writer of occasional verse, found himself detained on a British ship within sight of the fort.

When Francis Scott Key wrote about the Star Spangled Banner What was he referring to?

The lyrics come from the “Defence of Fort M’Henry”, a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812.

Did Francis Scott Key steal the national anthem?

Early in the nineteenth century the song “Hail Columbia” served as the de facto anthem of the United States, yet as Key’s song grew in popularity it stole the honor. With its lyrical repetition of the phrase “Star-Spangled Banner,” Key’s song became synonymous with the flag through the 1820s and 1830s.

Why is it called the Star Spangled Banner?

On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key pens a poem which is later set to music and in 1931 becomes America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The poem, originally titled “The Defence of Fort M’Henry,” was written after Key witnessed the Maryland fort being bombarded by the British during the War of 1812.

How does the structure of the Star Spangled Banner emphasize its main idea?

Moreover, the structure of the poem emphasizes this main idea of glory. Each stanza ends with the phrase: “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” This emphasizes the idea of freedom and bravery in the poem.

What inspired the national anthem?

On September 14, 1814, U.S. soldiers at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry raised a huge American flag to celebrate a crucial victory over British forces during the War of 1812. The sight of those “broad stripes and bright stars” inspired Francis Scott Key to write a song that eventually became the United States national anthem.

Why did Mary Pickersgill make the flag?

Being held on a British ship in Baltimore Harbor miles from the fort, Key spotted Pickersgill’s flag in the morning after an evening of bombing, and was inspired to pen a poem that would become the National Anthem.

What did Francis Scott Key want?

Key wanted to reestablish law and order and protect the white man's right to own property in people. One hundred and eighty or so years ago, the paths of three men crossed in Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. The most famous of the three was Francis Scott Key. He was the scion of Maryland’s slave-holding aristocracy ...

What did John F. Key want?

Key wanted to reestablish law and order in the nation’s capital and protect the white man’s right to own property in people. The constitution, in Key’s view, required no less. In the spring of 1836, Key also brought charges against Reuben Crandall, a New York doctor who had brought abolitionist pamphlets to Washington.

How did the abolitionists establish Washington as a battlefield?

The abolitionists established Washington as a battlefield by calling for the abolition of slavery in the nation's capital. Tweet. In 1835 alone, the 25 states experienced no less than 53 riots, almost all related to issues of race. Tweet.

What was the purpose of the violence of the summer of 1835?

Key wanted to reestablish law and order and protect the white man's right to own property in people. One hundred and eighty or so years ago, the ...

What percentage of the people in the United States supported the abolition of slavery?

Eighty percent supported the abolition of slavery in the capital. The tide would not be stemmed. Francis Scott Key lost his bid to discredit the antislavery movement in the court of public opinion. The jury acquitted Crandall of all charges. The defeat and family tragedies in 1835 sapped Key’s ambition.

How old was Arthur Bowen in Snowstorm?

In this cataclysm, the paths of Francis Scott Key, Beverly Snow and Arthur Bowen crossed. In Washington City, the events started when 19-year-old Arthur Bowen, servant in the home of Anna Thornton, attended a clandestine “talking society.”.

Why was the snow riot called the snowstorm?

The events of August 1835 would soon be dubbed the “Snow Riot” or the “Snow-Storm” in recognition of the central role that Beverly Snow’s singular personality played in igniting popular passion.

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Overview

Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779 – January 11, 1843) was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet from Frederick, Maryland, who is best known for writing the lyrics for the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner".
Key observed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814 during the War of 1812. He was inspired upon seeing the American flag still flying over the fort a…

Early life

"The Star-Spangled Banner"

Legal career

Key was a leading attorney in Frederick, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., for many years, with an extensive real estate and trial practice. He and his family settled in Georgetown in 1805 or 1806, near the new national capital. He assisted his uncle Philip Barton Key in the sensational conspiracy trial of Aaron Burr and in the expulsion of Senator John Smithof Ohio. He made the first of his many arg…

Key and slavery

Key purchased his first slave in 1800 or 1801 and owned six slaves in 1820. He freed seven slaves in the 1830s, one of whom continued to work for him for wages as his farm's foreman, supervising several slaves. Key also represented several slaves seeking their freedom, as well as several slave-owners seeking return of their runaway slaves. Key was one of the executors of John Randolph of Roanoke's will, which freed his 400 slaves, and Key fought to enforce the will for th…

Religion

Key was a devout and prominent Episcopalian. In his youth, he almost became an Episcopal priest rather than a lawyer. Throughout his life he sprinkled biblical references in his correspondence. He was active in All Saints Parish in Frederick, Maryland, near his family's home. He also helped found or financially support several parishes in the new national capital, including St. John's Episcopal Church in Georgetown, Trinity Episcopal Church in present-day Judiciary Square, and Chr…

Death and legacy

On January 11, 1843, Key died at the home of his daughter Elizabeth Howard in Baltimore from pleurisy at age 63. He was initially interred in Old Saint Paul's Cemetery in the vault of John Eager Howard but in 1866, his body was moved to his family plot in Frederick at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
The Key Monument Association erected a memorial in 1898 and the remains o…

Monuments and memorials

• Francis Scott Key Monument in Baltimore
• Two bridges are named in his honor. The first is between the Rosslyn section of Arlington County, Virginia, and Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Key's Georgetown home, which was dismantled in 1947 (as part of construction for the Whitehurst Freeway), was located on M Street NW, in the area between the Key Bridge and the intersection of M Street and Whitehurst Freeway. The location is illustrated on a sign in the Francis Scott Key p…