Before It Became History | Fort McHenry and the Star-Spangled Banner

About this episode

The episode explores the battle at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 and the creation of the Star-Spangled Banner as a symbol of American resilience.

As British forces bombarded Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, one symbol remained visible through the night: a flag that inspired a nation. Discover the battle that gave rise to “The Star-Spangled Banner” and became an enduring symbol of American resilience. Before It Became History, a podcast series from the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, explores the people and moments that shaped the American story. Each episode looks beyond the legend to examine the decisions, conflicts, and ideas that...

Topics covered

• American history
• War of 1812
• Fort McHenry
• national symbols
• resilience

Keywords

• Fort McHenry
• Star-Spangled Banner
• War of 1812
• American resilience
• history

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Star-Spangled Banner

Places: Fort McHenry

More episodes of Sandra Day O'Connor Institute

• Before It Became History | War of 1812: America's Second Fight for Independence · June 12, 2026 · 8 min
• Before It Became History | Ann Bailey: Riding Through Danger, Delivering Hope · June 12, 2026 · 6 min
• Before It Became History | Sybil Ludington: One Rider. One Mission. One Nation · June 12, 2026 · 12 min
• Before It Became History | Peter Salem: A Patriot's Courage Helped Shape a Nation · June 12, 2026 · 4 min
• Before it Became History | Carter Braxton: From Virginia Statesman to American Patriot · June 12, 2026 · 8 min
• Before It Became History | Hannah Adams: Where Vision Meets Action · June 5, 2026 · 4 min