Francis Scott Key, the Reluctant Patriot The Washington lawyer was an unlikely candidate to write the national anthem; he was against America’s entry into the War of 1812 from the outset ...

I took my young son to a ballgame. After buying way more snacks than we needed, we found our seats just in time for the National Anthem. I reminded him to remove his hat and place it over his heart.

“And the British left! Key and Beanes were released!” I exclaimed to my son. “And that is why we sing the National Anthem. It ...