The national anthem was inspired by which battle?

• A. The Battle of Fort McHenry
• B. The Battle of Gettysburg
• C. The Battle of San Jacinto
• D. The Battle of Yorktown

Answer: (A)

This question tests knowledge of what sparked the U.S. national anthem. The Star-Spangled Banner was born from the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. As night turned to dawn and the bombardment continued, Francis Scott Key saw that the flag still waved over the fort, which inspired him to write a poem about that moment. That poem eventually became the national anthem. The other battles listed—Gettysburg, San Jacinto, and Yorktown—are important in American history, but they are not connected to the creation of the anthem.