On the Friday closest to Sept. 14, Cornwall middle school students leave the building at 9 a.m. and gather at the flag pole to observe the anniversary of the “Star Spangled Banner.”
They’ve been doing it for 11 years under the direction of music teacher Valerie Ransbottom. Before the kids sang the anthem this year, they warmed up by chanting “Many maniacal monks mumble mercilessly.”
“It helps them move the sound forward,” Mrs. Ransbottom explained in an e-mail. The lyrics for “The Star Spangled Banner” were written 200 years ago. How much do you know about them?
1. Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star Spangled Banner” while watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry, which is near what city?
A. Baltimore
B. Washington, D.C.
C. Philadelphia
2. At the time, he was on a mission to exchange prisoners with the British. What president was he representing?
A. Adams
B. Jefferson
C. Madison
3. What best describes his profession?
A. Attorney
B. Journalist
C. Ambassador
4. The lyrics were set to the melody of “Anaceron in Heaven,” which was …
A. An 18th century church hymn?
B. A popular English ballad?
C. A song sung by American soldiers in the Revolution?
5. The flag flying over Fort McHenry had the same number of stars and stripes? How many did it have?
A. Thirteen
B. Fifteen
C. Twenty-one
6. “The Star Spangled Banner” has how many stanzas?
A. Two
B. Three
C. Four
7. In what year did “The Star Spangled Banner” become our National Anthem?
A. 1815
B. 1865
C. 1931
8. There are three question marks in the opening stanza. The first occurs after what word?
A. Light
B. Gleaming
C. Streaming
Answers: 1A, 2C, 3A, 4B, 5B, 6C, 7C, 8B
