On September 14, 1814, U.S. soldiers at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry raised a huge American flag to celebrate an important 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. Key’s words gave new significance to a national symbol and started a tradition through which generations of Americans have invested the flag with their own meanings and memories.

Since 1907, the Smithsonian Institution has been responsible for preserving, displaying, and teaching about the Star-Spangled Banner. Close-up images of the Star-Spangled Banner and detailed historical background are available in the online exhibition The Star-Spangled Banner: The flag that inspired the national anthem.

The Flag Maker is a story about Caroline Pickersgill helping her mother, Mary Pickersgill, create the Star-Spangled Banner and her emotions as she sees that the flag has survived the Battle of Baltimore. You can learn more about the Star-Spangled Banner by reading The Flag Maker, exploring the online exhibition, and by trying out the activities below.