The Story Behind the Stars and Stripes

1814 September 13, in a rain, British warships fired a downpour of shells and rockets at Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, mercilessly attacking the American fort for 25 hours. The bombing, known as the Battle of Baltimore, took place a few weeks after Britain attacked Washington, D.C., burning down the Capitol, the Treasury Department and the Presidential Palace. This is another chapter in the 18 12 war. A week ago, the related content "The Stars and Stripes" was exhibited in the newspaper again. Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old American lawyer, boarded the flagship of the British fleet in chesapeake bay, hoping to persuade Britain to release a recently arrested friend. Key's tactics were successful, but because he and his armored soldiers knew Baltimore was about to be attacked, the British army didn't let them go. They allowed the Americans to return to their ships, but continued to guard them. Under their supervision, on September 65438+3, 2003, Becky watched the artillery fire at Fort McHenry from eight miles away.

"It seems that Mother Earth opened it and spit out bullets and shells in fire and sulfur," Key later wrote. But when night falls, Becky only sees red in the night sky. Considering the scale of the attack, he is sure that the British will win. A few hours passed slowly, but in the "dawn" smoke on September 14, he saw the American flag Jack flying over the fort instead of the British flag, proclaiming the victory of the United States.

When you are on the boat, write your thoughts on paper, so that your words conform to the melody of a popular English song. His brother-in-law is the head of a militia organization in Fort McHenry. He read Keane's works and distributed them in the name of "defending Fort McHenry". The Baltimore Patriot soon printed it, and within a few weeks, Keane's poem, now called "The Stars and Stripes", was printed all over the country. His words were immortal, and he always named it the national flag to celebrate.

Nearly two centuries later, despite the fragility and wear, the flag that inspired this key still exists. In order to protect this American idol, experts from the National Museum of American History recently completed an eight-year protection measure, with funds from Polo Ralph Lauren, Pew Charitable Trust and the US Congress. In the summer of 2008, when the museum reopens, the Stars and Stripes will become the center of the museum and be displayed in its state-of-the-art galleries.

"the star-spangled banner is a symbol of American history, as well as the statue of liberty," said Brent D. glass, director of the museum.

The star-spangled banner protection project was launched on 1996, including protecting the national flag and creating new exhibits in the renovated museum. The project was planned with the help of historians, nurses and curators, engineers and organic scientists. With the completion of the 1999 protection laboratory, the protection personnel began to work. In the next few years, they cut 1.7 million needles from the national flag, took off the linen backing added in 1.9 14, lifted the debris on the national flag with a dry cosmetic sponge, brushed it with acetone-water mixture, and removed the soil embedded in the fiber. Finally, they added a pure polyester backing to help support the national flag.

"Our goal is to extend the service life of the national flag," said Susan Thomas Klaus, the protector of the project. She said that the purpose of this is by no means to make the national flag look like it did when it first flew over Fort McHenry. "We don't want to change any history written on cultural relics with stains and dirt. These marks tell the story of the national flag.

When managers are at work, the public is paying attention. Over the years, more than 6.5438+0.2 million people have entered the glass protection laboratory of the museum to watch this progress.

Catherine kendrick, director of the Stars and Stripes Protection Project, said: "The Stars and Stripes have aroused people's resonance in different ways and for different reasons." . "What is exciting is that you saw the national flag that Francis Scott Key saw in the morning of September. 18 14. But the star-spangled banner is not only a work of art, but also a symbol of a country. It evokes people's strong feelings and thoughts about what it means to be an American.

The Smithsonian photographer created this positron photo of the Stars and Stripes from 73 different photos in 2004. The huge size of the national flag (30×34 feet) makes it impossible for photographers to take pictures. Experts from the National Museum of American History recently completed an eight-year flag to protect the Stars and Stripes, including removing the linen backing and cleaning the flag. The photo above shows the details of today's national flag. (Photograph of Thomas alic provided by the National Museum of American History) "Our goal is to extend the service life of [the national flag]," said Suzanne thomason Cruas, administrator of the Stars and Stripes project. "We don't want to change any history written on cultural relics with stains and dirt." The photo above shows what the national flag looks like today. (Photo courtesy of the National Museum of American History, photographed by Thomas alic) When the National Museum of American History reopens in the summer of 2008, it will include a state-of-the-art Stars and Stripes gallery, as shown. Under the protection of the glass wall, the banner will be placed on the table and displayed according to the American flag code. (Provided by the National Museum of American History) Knowing that Fort McHenry may be the target of the British in the 18 12 War, Major George Armistead wanted a flag big enough for the enemy to "see from a distance". Major George Armistead commissioned Baltimore flag bearer Mary Pickersgill to make a 15 star-spangled banner, which was a garrison flag with stripes of 18 13 and 15, and was later called "the star-spangled banner". Pickersgill also made a smaller storm flag, which may be the same design. The price of two works is $574.44. (Provided by the National Flag Pavilion and the Stars and Stripes Museum) The National Flag Pavilion in Baltimore, Maryland is the home of 1793 Mary Pickersgill. She is a woman who sews the stars and stripes. Eric Woboril is the project and collection director of the National Flag Pavilion. He said, "Mary is not just a woman who makes national flags. She is a widowed woman, running her own business and trying to do something good in very difficult times. " (courtesy of the National Flag Pavilion and the Stars and Stripes Museum) This photo printed by J. Bauer at 18 16 depicts the bombing of Fort McHenry, the famous battle of Baltimore. Describing the battle in Baltimore, Francis Scott Key (provided by the National Museum of American History) said, "It seems that Mother Earth has opened and is spitting bullets out of a fire and sulfur." . This poem was written after he witnessed the bombing in 18 14, and became the star-spangled banner in 193 1. (Provided by the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore, Maryland) This photo of 1873 is the first known photo of the Stars and Stripes. June 2 1873 was manufactured at Boston Naval Shipyard. The Stars and Stripes (provided by the American Antiquities Society in Worcester, Massachusetts) arrived at the Smithsonian Institution on July 6th, 1907, and were exhibited and photographed in the Smithsonian Institution Building on the same day. (Provided by the National Museum of American History) On the occasion of the 0/00th anniversary of the Battle of Baltimore/KLOC-,6,500 children dressed in red, white and blue formed a vibrant flag in Fort McHenry. (Provided by the National Flag Pavilion and the Stars and Stripes Museum) 19 14, the Smithsonian Institution hired Amelia Fowler to replace the canvas backing added to the national flag 1873. After making a historic flag for the United States Naval Academy, Fowler applied for a patent to support Flakey. Thomas Krause said, "The tradition of this family continued until 1880, and Armistead's grandson gave us the last recorded thing. Over the years, people have found some newspaper clippings of the Stars and Stripes, including more than a dozen owned by the American Museum of History. " Kendrick said: "We know that there are at least a dozen such stars in other museums and private collections, but we have never found the lost 15 star." Kendrick said: "There is a legend that this star was buried with a soldier in Fort McHenry;" Another legend is about abraham lincoln. "But there is no conclusive evidence to support these claims. The real fate of this star is still a big mystery that Smithsonian has not solved." After georgiana's death, in the Smithsonian Institution's 100 year, this flag was passed to Armistead's grandson, Eben appleton, who lent it to people in Baltimore to celebrate the centennial celebration of Seth Robin Kwamina Quaison (1880). It was kept in a safe in new york City until appleton lent it to the Smithsonian Museum on 1907. Five years later, he kept the gift forever, saying that he hoped it belonged to "an institution in this country, where people can easily see it and it will be taken good care of."

When the national flag arrived at the Smithsonian Museum, it became smaller (30 by 34 feet) and was damaged by debris used in the fortress for many years, and was removed as a souvenir. Recognizing the need for restoration, the Smithsonian Institution hired Amelia Fowler, a famous embroidery teacher and flag keeper, in 19 14 to replace the canvas backing added in 1873. Fowler once made a flag with a long history for the United States Naval Academy. He has applied for a patent, which is to use linen as the backing and a pattern that needs to be sewn with honey cloth to support the fragile flag. With the help of ten female needles, Fowler spent eight weeks on the national flag and got $65,438 +0.243 for materials and work. In the next 50 years,

Except for a brief action during World War II, the Stars and Stripes are displayed in modern art and industrial buildings. Because of the size of the national flag and the size of the glass box displaying it, the public has never seen the whole national flag in this position.

After the architect designed the new National Museum of History and Technology (now the National Museum of American History), it changed and had the space to hang the national flag. The star-spangled banner remained in the flag hall from 1964 until 1999, when it was transferred to the protection laboratory.

At that time, with the completion of the recent project, the Stars and Stripes will still be a symbol of American history and can still be seen by the public. Glass said: "This flag can survive for nearly 200 years, which is a clear proof of the strength and perseverance of this country. We hope it will inspire more people to come to the East. "