a short essay about national anthem

Short History of The Star Spangled Banner

A s the sun broke the horizon on September 13, 1814, Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane gave the order for British naval ships to commence firing at Fort McHenry . Located in the Baltimore Harbor, Fort McHenry was one of the last lines of defense for Baltimore: if the fort was captured, then Baltimore would be as well.  With Washington, D.C., burned just a month prior , the capture of Baltimore would mean that the just formed United States would lose two major coastal cities. These cities were financial and political strongholds, and, without them, Britain could claim victory for the entire war.

On a merchant ship in the harbor was British Prisoner Exchange Agent Colonel John Stuart Skinner and Georgetown lawyer Francis Scott Key . On September 5, Stuart and Key had sailed into the harbor to meet with Admiral George Cockburn to discuss the release of Dr. William Beanes. Beanes was a doctor, and a colleague of Key, who had refused to give food and drink to British soldiers who had happened upon his house in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He was scheduled to be hanged. Stuart and Key successfully negotiated Beanes’s freedom. However, since they were by the British fleet in the harbor, and privy to the British’s positions and plans to attack Baltimore, the three men were unable to return to shore. 

On September 12, the British landed their forces at North Point , a peninsula at the fork of the Patapsco River and the Chesapeake Bay to attempt a land attack on Baltimore. The British pushed on toward the city and were attacked at noon, resulting in the death of British Major General Robert Ross . Colonel Arthur Brooke took command and skirmishes continued that day. The Americans retreated to Baltimore and the British consolidated their forces.

With many American forces emerging in the night, the British decided to launch a naval attack on Fort McHenry commanded by Admiral Cochrane. Major George Armistead , a future uncle to Confederate General Lewis Armistead in the Civil War, commanded the fort. For twenty-four hours, mortar shells and Congreve rockets were hurled at the fort. Over the harbor, there was a cloud of smoke that was only illuminated by the glow of rockets.

However, the British gunners had poor aim. Because of the American cannons in the fort and previously sunken merchant ships that Armistead had commanded to ring the entrance to Baltimore harbor, the British couldn’t get close to the Fort. At nightfall, Cochrane sent 1,200 of his men to the shore in an attempt to attack the fort from the rear. American forces met the incoming soldiers and impeded them from advancing.

The next morning, Armistead raised a thirty by forty-two-foot United States Flag over the fort. Customarily, this garrison flag was raised every morning at reveille, but after a night of fighting this action took on a new meaning. The British, equally fatigued after the long fight and running low on ammunition, noted that they could not overtake the fortifications of Fort McHenry. Beanes, Key, and Stuart were sent back to the Maryland shore and the British retreated and set off for New Orleans.

Throughout this battle, Key was in the harbor hearing cannon fire and the booms of explosives. After the hours of bombardment and the fear that the British could overtake the fort and head to Baltimore, Key awoke to a proud display of American patriotism and a symbol that they were not going to stop fighting. That morning he wrote notes for a future poem about this event. Later that week, he finished the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry.” On September 20, the Baltimore Patriot published “Defence of Fort M’Henry.” Francis Scott Key’s brother-in-law set the poem to music, and the combined poem and music were published under the name “The Star-Spangled Banner.” 

After it was published, “The Star-Spangled Banner” became one of the many patriotic songs sung throughout the country. After 1889, it accompanied the flag raisings by the Navy. President Woodrow Wilson adopted the song as a de facto “national anthem” in 1916 but did not codify this ruling. In 1929, “House Resolution 14” was presented to Congress to name “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the official national anthem to the United States. There were many objections to this resolution.

One objection was that the tune of the “Star-Spangled Banner” was taken from the song “To Anacreon to Heaven.” This song was the theme for the Society of Anacreon, which was active between 1766-1791. The Society of Anacreon was a gentleman’s club that meet monthly to listen to music of questionable tastes and to socialize. Ralph Tomlinson wrote the lyrics and John Stafford Smith composed the melody in 1788 and 1780 respectively. The song alluded to alcohol consumption and love in the last line of the first stanza, “I’ll instruct you like me to entwine the myrtle of Venus with Bacchus’s wine.” Even though only the tune was used, some members still saw it risqué that the two songs could be intertwined.

Other objections include the difficulty of the song to sing and play, the inability to dance or march to the song, and it being too military-centric. The resolution did not pass until it was reintroduced to Congress in 1930. It was officially adopted by law on March 3, 1931. Other songs that were possible contenders for the position as national anthem were “Hail, Columbia,” “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee,” and “America the Beautiful.” 

The flag itself was sewn by Mary Pickersgill. Major Armistead was assigned to command Fort McHenry in June 1813. He commissioned the Baltimore-based flag-maker to sew two flags, one that is 17 by 25 ft and one that is 30 by 42 ft. The flags were so large that she sewed them with her daughter, Caroline; two nieces, Eliza Young and Margaret Young, and an indentured African American servant, Grace Wisher, on the floor of a nearby brewery. In addition, there were potentially other workers that helped with this behemoth project that have not been recorded. The larger of the two flags dwarfs the standard size of garrison flags today that measure 20 by 38 ft. As per the Second Flag Act that was ratified on January 13, 1794, there were fifteen red and white stripes and fifteen white stars in a field of blue on the flag. The additional two stripes represent Vermont and Kentucky, who entered the Union in 1791 and 1792 respectively. It wasn’t until April 4, 1818, with the Third Flag Act that the number of stripes were reduced back to thirteen and the number of stars on the flag equate to the number of states in the Union.

After the war and before his death in 1818, Major George Armistead, who was later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, acquired the large flag. The flag was passed down within the family until Eben Appleton, Armistead’s grandson donated the flag to the Smithsonian Institute in 1912. Between Armistead’s acquisition of the flag and the Appleton’s donation, pieces of the flag had been cut off and sent to veterans, government officials, and other prominent figures. In 1914, Amelia Fowler, a flag-restorer, was hired by the Smithsonian to help stabilize the fragile flag while it was on display. Preservation was initiated again in 1981 to reduce dust on the flag and reduce the amount of light shining on the fabric. Those preservation efforts weren’t enough. In 1994, the flag was removed from the wall, so conservators could remove the linen backing that Fowler sewed and further remove harmful materials from the flag’s surface. A new climate and light-controlled exhibit were created to house the flag and discuss its history.

Francis Scott Key wrote the “Star-Spangled Banner” as a joyous poem after he was relieved that the United States had preserved against British attack. Since then it has evolved into the national anthem for the United States and is played at official events, schools, and sporting events. This anthem is a means to bring Americans together to remember the United States' perseverance in the face of adversity and as a stage that Americans can use to protest unjust policies.

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The Star-Spangled Banner

By: History.com Editors

Updated: April 27, 2021 | Original: September 28, 2017

“The Star-Spangled Banner” is the national anthem of the United States. By the time the song officially became the country’s anthem in 1931, it had been one of America’s most popular patriotic tunes for more than a century. The anthem’s history began the morning of September 14, 1814, when an attorney and amateur poet named Francis Scott Key watched U.S. soldiers—who were under bombardment from British naval forces during the War of 1812—raise a large American flag over Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland.

Background: War of 1812

Simmering anger at Britain for interfering in American trade, impressing U.S. sailors into the Royal Navy and standing in the way of westward expansion led the United States to declare war in June 1812.

With British forces distracted by the country’s ongoing war with France, the United States scored some encouraging early victories in the War of 1812 . But in August 1815, British troops invaded Washington, D.C. and set fire to the White House , the Capitol and other government buildings. The Royal Navy then trained its sights on the key seaport of Baltimore, Maryland .

On September 13, U.S. soldiers at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry withstood some 25 hours of British bombardment. Early the next morning, they hoisted a gigantic U.S. flag over the fort, marking a crucial victory and a turning point in what would be considered a second war of American independence.

Francis Scott Key

A Maryland-born attorney with a thriving practice in Washington, D.C., Francis Scott Key watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry from a ship anchored in Baltimore’s harbor.

Key had been helping to negotiate the release of an American civilian, Dr. William Beanes, who had been captured in an earlier battle. As a condition of the release, the British ordered the Americans not to return to shore during the attack on Baltimore.

Who Wrote 'The Star-Spangled Banner'?

Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star Spangled Banner” and its initial verse on the back side of a letter while watching the large American flag waving over the fort that morning. Back in Baltimore, he continued working until he had completed four verses (only one of which is commonly known today).

After a local printer issued the song, originally called “Defence of Fort M’Henry,” two Baltimore newspapers printed it, and it spread quickly to various cities along the East Coast.

By November 1814, Key’s composition had appeared in print for the first time under the name “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

From Drinking Song to American Anthem

Ironically, the melody Key assigned to accompany the lyrics of “The Star-Spangled Banner” was a popular English drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heaven.”

Written around 1775 by John Stafford Smith, the song honored the ancient Greek poet Anacreon, a lover of wine. It was originally performed at a London gentleman’s music club called the Anacreontic Society.

The Anacreontic Song, as it was known, had a track record of popularity in the United States by 1814. In one famous case, defenders of the embattled second president, John Adams , used the tune for a song called “Adams and Liberty.”

Key himself had even used the tune before, as accompaniment for verses he wrote in 1805 commemorating American naval victories in the Barbary War .

Key’s Complicated Legacy

After the war of 1812, Key continued his thriving law career. He served as a member of the “Kitchen Cabinet” of President Andrew Jackson and in 1833 was appointed as a U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.

He composed other verses over the course of his life, but none received anywhere close to the recognition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” After contracting pleurisy, Key died in 1843 at the age of 63.

Though his celebrated anthem proclaimed the United States “the land of the free,” Key was in fact a slaveholder from an old Maryland plantation family, and as a U.S. attorney argued several prominent cases against the abolitionist movement. He did speak out against the cruelties of the institution of slavery, but did not see abolition as the solution.

Instead, Key became a leader of the colonization movement, which advocated the relocation of black slaves to Africa and eventually resulted in the modern nation of Liberia .

Growing Popularity of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'

At first, “The Star-Spangled Banner” trailed “Yankee Doodle” and “Hail Columbia” in popularity among patriotic 19th-century tunes. But during and immediately after the Civil War , Key’s song gained a deeper meaning, as the American flag became an increasingly powerful symbol of national unity.

By the 1890s, the U.S military had adopted the song for ceremonial purposes, playing it to accompany the raising and lowering of the colors. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed an executive order designating it “the national anthem of the United States.”

In 1931—more than 100 years after it was composed—Congress passed a measure declaring “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the official national anthem.

History of the National Anthem at Sporting Events

“The Star-Spangled Banner” made its sporting-event debut in September 1918, during that year’s first World Series game between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox.

In addition to the ongoing toll of World War I , a cloud of violence hung over Chicago’s Comiskey Park, as a bomb had torn apart the Chicago Federal Building just the day before. During the seventh-inning stretch, the military band on hand struck up “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and in a moving spectacle, players and fans alike fell silent and saluted the flag.

The practice soon spread across major league baseball, and into other sports, and eventually became a widely accepted pregame tradition.

While many view the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” before sporting events as an important patriotic ritual, over the years some athletes have chosen to protest enduring racial injustices in American society by turning their backs on the flag, refusing to stand or taking a knee while the national anthem is performed.

The Star-Spangled Banner, Smithsonian . “Star-Spangled Banner” writer had complex history on race, The Baltimore Sun . “How the national anthem—and subverting it—became a national tradition,” The Washington Post . “How the National Anthem Has Unfurled,” The New York Times . “The Song Remains the Same,” ESPN the Magazine .

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The Story Behind the Star Spangled Banner

How the flag that flew proudly over Fort McHenry inspired an anthem and made its way to the Smithsonian

Cate Lineberry

On a rainy September 13, 1814, British warships sent a downpour of shells and rockets onto Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, relentlessly pounding the American fort for 25 hours. The bombardment, known as the Battle of Baltimore, came only weeks after the British had attacked Washington, D.C., burning the Capitol, the Treasury and the President's house. It was another chapter in the ongoing War of 1812.

A week earlier, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old American lawyer, had boarded the flagship of the British fleet on the Chesapeake Bay in hopes of persuading the British to release a friend who had recently been arrested. Key's tactics were successful, but because he and his companions had gained knowledge of the impending attack on Baltimore, the British did not let them go. They allowed the Americans to return to their own vessel but continued guarding them. Under their scrutiny, Key watched on September 13 as the barrage of Fort McHenry began eight miles away.

"It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone," Key wrote later. But when darkness arrived, Key saw only red erupting in the night sky. Given the scale of the attack, he was certain the British would win. The hours passed slowly, but in the clearing smoke of "the dawn's early light" on September 14, he saw the American flag —not the British Union Jack—flying over the fort, announcing an American victory.

Key put his thoughts on paper while still on board the ship, setting his words to the tune of a popular English song. His brother-in-law, commander of a militia at Fort McHenry, read Key's work and had it distributed under the name "Defence of Fort M'Henry." The Baltimore Patriot newspaper soon printed it, and within weeks, Key's poem, now called "The Star-Spangled Banner," appeared in print across the country, immortalizing his words—and forever naming the flag it celebrated.

Nearly two centuries later, the flag that inspired Key still survives, though fragile and worn by the years. To preserve this American icon, experts at the National Museum of American History recently completed an eight-year conservation treatment with funds from Polo Ralph Lauren, The Pew Charitable Trusts and the U.S. Congress. And when the museum reopens in summer 2008, the Star-Spangled Banner will be its centerpiece, displayed in its own state-of-the-art gallery.

"The Star-Spangled Banner is a symbol of American history that ranks with the Statue of Liberty and the Charters of Freedom," says Brent D. Glass, the museum's director. "The fact that it has been entrusted to the National Museum of American History is an honor."

Started in 1996, the Star-Spangled Banner preservation project—which includes the flag's conservation and the creation of its new display in the renovated museum—was planned with the help of historians, conservators, curators, engineers and organic scientists. With the construction of the conservation lab completed in 1999, conservators began their work. Over the next several years, they clipped 1.7 million stitches from the flag to remove a linen backing that had been added in 1914, lifted debris from the flag using dry cosmetic sponges and brushed it with an acetone-water mixture to remove soils embedded in fibers. Finally, they added a sheer polyester backing to help support the flag.

"Our goal was to extend [the flag's] usable lifetime," says Suzanne Thomassen-Krauss, the conservator for the project. The intent was never to make the flag look as it did when it first flew over Fort McHenry, she says. "We didn't want to change any of the history written on the artifact by stains and soil. Those marks tell the flag's story."

While the conservators worked, the public looked on. Over the years, more than 12 million people peered into the museum's glass conservation lab, watching the progress.

"The Star-Spangled Banner resonates with people in different ways, for different reasons," says Kathleen Kendrick, curator for the Star-Spangled Banner preservation project. "It's exciting to realize that you're looking at the very same flag that Francis Scott Key saw on that September morning in 1814. But the Star-Spangled Banner is more than an artifact—it's also a national symbol. It evokes powerful emotions and ideas about what it means to be an American."

The Flag's Beginnings

The Star-Spangled Banner's history starts not with Francis Scott Key, but a year earlier with Maj. George Armistead, the commander of Fort McHenry. Knowing that his fort was a likely British target, Armistead told the commander of Baltimore defenses in July 1813 that he needed a flag—a big one. "We, sir, are ready at Fort McHenry to defend Baltimore against invading by the enemy…except that we have no suitable ensign to display over the Star Fort, and it is my desire to have a flag so large that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance."

Armistead soon hired a 29-year-old widow and professional flagmaker, Mary Young Pickersgill of Baltimore, Maryland, to make a garrison flag measuring 30 by 42 feet with 15 stars and 15 stripes (each star and stripe representing a state). A large flag, but one not unusual for the time. Over the next six weeks, Mary, her daughter, three of Mary's nieces, a 13-year-old indentured servant and possibly Mary's mother Rebecca Young worked 10-hour days sewing the flag, using 300 yards of English wool bunting. They made the stars, each measuring two feet in diameter, from cotton—a luxury item at the time. Initially they worked from Mary's home (now a private museum known as the Flag House), but as their work progressed they needed more room and had to move to Claggett's brewery across the street. On August 19, 1813, the flag was delivered to Fort McHenry.

For making the Star-Spangled Banner, Mary was paid $405.90. She received another $168.54 for sewing a smaller (17 by 25 feet) storm flag, likely using the same design. It was this storm flag—not the garrison flag now known as the Star-Spangled Banner—which actually flew during the battle. The garrison flag, according to eyewitness accounts, wasn't raised until the morning. After the Battle of Baltimore

Armistead remained in command of Fort McHenry for the rest of his life. Historians are not sure how the Armistead family came into possession of the flag, but upon Armistead's death in 1818, his wife Louisa inherited it. It is she who is thought to have sewed the red upside-down "V" on the flag, beginning the stitches for the letter "A." She is also thought to have begun the tradition of giving pieces of the flag away to honor her husband's memory, as well as the memories of the soldiers who defended the fort under his command.

When Louisa died in 1861, she passed the flag down to their daughter Georgiana Armistead Appleton over the legal objections of their son. "Georgiana was the only child born at the fort, and she was named for her father," says Thomassen-Krauss. "Louisa wanted Georgiana to have it."

The Missing Pieces

In 1873, Georgiana loaned the flag to George Preble, a flag historian who until that time had thought the flag was lost. That same year, Preble had the first known photograph of it taken at the Boston Navy Yard and exhibited it at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, where he stored it until 1876.

While the Star-Spangled Banner was in Preble's care, Georgiana allowed him to give away pieces of the flag as he saw fit. Georgiana, herself, had given away cuttings of the flag to other Armistead descendants, as well as family friends. She once noted, "[H]ad we given all that we have been importuned for little would be left to show." This family tradition continued through 1880 with Armistead's grandson giving away the last documented piece, says Thomassen-Krauss.

Several of these cuttings from the Star-Spangled Banner have been located over the years, including about a dozen that are owned by the American History Museum. "We're aware of at least a dozen more that exist in other museums and private collections," says Kendrick.

But a missing 15th star has never been found. "There's a legend that the star was buried with one of the soldiers from Fort McHenry; another says that it was given to Abraham Lincoln," says Kendrick. "But no real evidence has surfaced to support these stories, and the true fate of the star remains one of the Smithsonian's great unsolved mysteries." 100 Years at the Smithsonian

After Georgiana's death, the flag passed to Eben Appleton, Armistead's grandson, who loaned it to the city of Baltimore for the 1880 sesquicentennial celebration. It then remained in a safe-deposit vault in New York City until Appleton loaned it to the Smithsonian in 1907. Five years later, he made the gift permanent, saying he wanted it to belong "to the Institution in the country where it could be conveniently seen by the public and where it would be well cared for."

When the flag arrived at the Smithsonian it was smaller (30 by 34 feet), damaged from years of use at the fort and from pieces being removed as souvenirs. Recognizing its need for repair, the Smithsonian hired Amelia Fowler, an embroidery teacher and well-known flag preserver, in 1914 to replace the canvas backing that had been added in 1873. Having worked on historic flags for the United States Naval Academy, Fowler had patented a method of supporting fragile flags with a linen backing that required a honeycomb pattern of stitches. With the help of ten needlewomen, Fowler spent eight weeks on the flag, receiving $1,243 for the materials and work.

For the next 50 years, with the exception of a brief move during World War II, the Star-Spangled Banner was displayed in what is now the Arts and Industries Building. Because of the flag's size and the dimensions of the glass case it was displayed in, the public never saw the entire flag while it was housed in this location.

That changed after architects designed the new National Museum of History and Technology, now the National Museum of American History, with space to allow the flag to hang. The Star-Spangled Banner remained in Flag Hall from 1964 until 1999, when it was moved to the conservation lab.

With the recent completion of the project, the Star-Spangled Banner will remain an icon of American history that can still be seen by the public. Says Glass, "The survival of this flag for nearly 200 years is a visible testimony to the strength and perseverance of this nation, and we hope that it will inspire many more generations to come."

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• What Is the Purpose of a National Anthem?

What Is a National Anthem?

A national anthem is a patriotic song or musical composition that is either recognized officially by a nation’s government and constitution or is accepted as such by convention through popular use. The national anthem reflects the history, struggles, and traditions of a nation and its people and serves as an expression of national identity.

When Is a National Anthem Used?

National anthems are usually played or sung during national holidays, especially during the independence day celebrations in a country. National anthems are also performed during cultural and other festivals in the country, usually marking off the beginning or the end of such festivals. National anthems are often performed in international sporting events. For example, in the Olympic Games, the national anthem of the winning team is played during the medal ceremony. National anthems of the participating nations are also played prior to the start of a game and usually, the anthem of the host nation is played last.

The National anthem is also an integral part of a school’s daily routine in some countries. In countries like India, it is mandatory to play the national anthem at the beginning of a movie in a movie theater. In some countries like China and Colombia, the national anthem is played at specific times of the day by radio and television channels. Thus, different countries promote their national anthems in different ways.

Most countries also mention several etiquettes to be observed while performing or listening to the national anthem like standing up, removing headwear, etc. Although the national anthem of a country is recognized within the country, the use of the anthem outside the country is dependent on the country’s recognition at a global level. For example, Taiwan is not recognized as an independent country by the Olympics committee. Hence, the national anthem of Taiwan is not performed in the Olympics and instead the National Banner Song is played.

What Is the Importance of a National Anthem?

The national anthem, like other national symbols of a country, represents the tradition, history, and beliefs of a nation and its people. Hence, it helps evoke feelings of patriotism among the country’s citizens and reminds them of their nation’s glory, beauty, and rich heritage. It also helps unite the citizens of the country by one single song or music. During the performance of the national anthem, citizens of a nation, despite their ethnic differences, rise up in unison and listen attentively or sing the song with great enthusiasm. Players also feel a great moment of pride when they receive a medal at an international sporting event while their country’s national anthem is played in the background. It gives them a feeling of having made their country proud. Students who listen to the national anthem in their schools learn to respect their nation and develop a sense of unity among themselves.

How and When Did the Concept of a National Anthem Develop?

The concept of a national anthem was first popularized in 19th century Europe. After their independence from European colonial powers, many of the newly-independent nations also composed their own national anthems and today, virtually every sovereign nation in the world has its own national anthem.

The Wilhelmus, the national anthem of the Netherlands, is the world’s oldest national anthem that was written during the time of the Dutch Revolt between 1568 and 1572.

The Kimigayo, the national anthem of Japan, has the oldest lyrics of any national anthem. The lyrics of the anthem has been derived from an ancient poetry that was written during the Heian period (794 to 1185). The music of the anthem was composed only in 1880.

The Spanish national anthem, the Marcha Real, is also one of the oldest national anthems and was written in 1761. The national anthem of the UK was first performed under the title God Save the King in 1619. The Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau which is the national anthem of Wales was the first national anthem to be performed at an international sporting event.

What Languages Are Used to Write or Sing the National Anthem?

Most national anthems are in the country’s official or national language since these languages are usually the languages of the majority of the country. However, in countries having more than one official or national languages, several versions of the national anthem in different languages might exist. For example, Canada’s national anthem, Canada, O Canada, uses both French and English lyrics since both are official languages of the country. The national anthem of South Africa uses five of the eleven national languages of the country.

The Creators of the National Anthems

Although the national anthems of each country are popular throughout the country, the creators of many of these anthems are either little-known or even unknown. For example, the author of the British national anthem “God Save the Queen” is disputed and unknown. In some countries, however, the national anthem’s authors are world-renowned composers or even Nobel laureates. For example, the national anthems of India and Bangladesh were both written by the first Asian Nobel Prize winner in Literature, Rabindranath Tagore. In other countries, national anthems have been composed by locally important figures like, for example, Rafael Nuñez, the former President of Colombia penned down the national anthem of the country.

What Is an Earth Anthem?

It is not only the sovereign countries of the world that have their own anthem, but international organizations and institutions also have their own anthems which are referred to as “international anthems”. For example, the Lullaby is UNICEF’s official anthem, the ASEAN Way is ASEAN’s official anthem, and the European Union uses the Ode to Joy’s tune as its national anthem.

With large-scale globalization in recent years, various artists have also created global anthems or "Earth Anthems” with the aim of uniting the people of the world and promoting love and tolerance for each other and respect for the planet they live in. However, a true global anthem is yet to be widely accepted. Although the UNESCO praises such ideas, an official song is yet to be adopted by the UN.

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clock This article was published more than  3 years ago

The ugly reason ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ didn’t become our national anthem for a century

It was September of 1814. The British had sacked Washington and torched the White House. The conflict became known as the War of 1812, even though it was in its third year.

The British had also taken prisoners, including a popular doctor from Prince George’s County in Maryland. A friend of the doctor sailed on a ship flying a truce flag to negotiate a prisoner exchange with the Royal Navy.

The mission was successful; British commanders agreed to free the doctor. But while on the ship, the man — a 35-year-old lawyer named Francis Scott Key — overheard plans for a surprise attack on Baltimore. He and the doctor would not be allowed to leave until the attack was over.

That’s how Key ended up witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry while aboard a British ship. He couldn’t tell from his vantage point who had won or lost. But at dawn, he saw the American flag , 15 stars and 15 stripes at the time, still waving over the fort and was inspired to write a poem. Soon, it was set to the tune of an existing song.

That’s the short version of how “The Star-Spangled Banner” came to be.

The longer version — of both the song and the story of the man who wrote it — reveals not only why it has become controversial now, in this season of racial reckoning, football and presidential campaigning, but why it was too controversial to become the national anthem for more than a century after it was written.

First, a few things to know about the War of 1812: One of the main issues was the British practice of impressment — the forced conscription of American sailors to fight for the Royal Navy. Plus, the British promised refuge to any enslaved Black people who escaped their enslavers, raising fears among White Americans of a large-scale revolt. The final provocation was that men who escaped their bonds of slavery were welcome to join the British Corps of Colonial Marines in exchange for land after their service. As many as 4,000 people, mostly from Virginia and Maryland, escaped.

It’s important to know these things because “The Star-Spangled Banner,” originally called “The Defense of Fort M’Henry,” has more than one verse. The second half of the third verse ends like this:

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

These lyrics are a clear reference to the Colonial Marines, according to Jefferson Morley, author of “ Snow-Storm in August: Washington City, Francis Scott Key, and the Forgotten Race Riot of 1835 .” They are clearly meant to scorn and threaten the African Americans who took the British up on their offer, he wrote in a recent essay for The Washington Post. Key surely knew about the Colonial Marines, and it’s even possible he saw them among the contingent of British ships that sailed into Baltimore Harbor.

The history of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’ the Black anthem being played at NFL games

But Mark Clague, a musicologist at the University of Michigan and an expert on the anthem, disagrees. In 2016, he told the New York Times : “The reference to slaves is about the use, and in some sense the manipulation, of Black Americans to fight for the British, with the promise of freedom.” He also noted that Black people fought on the American side of the war as well.

Whether manipulation or not, the British kept their word to Colonial Marines after the war, refusing the United States’ demand that they be returned and providing them land in Trinidad and Tobago to resettle with their families. Their descendants, called “ Merikins ,” still live there today.

And even if these lyrics aren’t meant to be explicitly racist, Key clearly was. He descended from a wealthy plantation family and enslaved people. He spoke of Black people as “a distinct and inferior race” and supported emancipating the enslaved only if they were immediately shipped to Africa, according to Morley.

During the Andrew Jackson administration, Key served as the district attorney for Washington, D.C., where he spent much of his time shoring up enslavers’ power. He strictly enforced slave laws and prosecuted abolitionists who passed out pamphlets mocking his jurisdiction as the “land of the free, home of the oppressed.”

He also influenced Jackson to appoint his brother-in-law chief justice of the United States. You may have heard of him; Roger B. Taney is infamous for writing the Dred Scott decision that decreed Black people “had no rights which the White man was bound to respect.” A statue of Taney and a school named after Key have been recent subjects of scrutiny during the protests following the police killing of George Floyd.

Removing a slavery defender’s statue: Roger B. Taney wrote one of Supreme Court’s worst rulings

Although “The Star-Spangled Banner” and all of its verses were immediately famous, Key’s overt racism prevented it from becoming the national anthem while he was alive, Morley wrote. There was no official anthem, and many people chose to sing other songs, like “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.”

Key’s anthem gained popularity over time, particularly among post-Reconstruction White Southerners and the military. In the early 20th Century, all but the first verse were cut — not for their racism, but for their anti-British bent. The United Kingdom was by then an ally.

After the misery of World War I, the lyrics were again controversial for their violence. But groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy fought back, pushing for the song to be made the official national anthem. In 1931, President Herbert Hoover made it so.

“The elevation of the banner from popular song to official national anthem was a neo-Confederate political victory, and it was celebrated as such,” Morley wrote. “When supporters threw a victory parade in Baltimore in June 1931, the march was led by a color guard hoisting the Confederate flag.”

Read more Retropolis:

The gripping sermon that got ‘under God’ added to the Pledge of Allegiance on Flag Day

‘She sang with her eyes closed’: The concert at the Lincoln Memorial that changed America

An Anthem, A Flag, and Individual Liberties

When American footba

When American football player Colin Kaepernick began sitting (and later kneeling) during the National Anthem to protest racial injustices in the country, he intended to draw attention to race relations in the United States. However, his actions have also sparked a discussion regarding the individual liberties of American Citizens. This conversation has since extended to other symbols of patriotism beyond the national anthem such as respect for the American flag. This eLesson asks students to consider what constitutes protected speech and how far patriotic symbols and actions can be legally protected from acts of protest. Through this lesson, students will better understand the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. They will use this understanding to analyze a variety of current events and assess whether they constitute protected speech. Students will then apply their understanding and analysis through respectful debate to further clarify their position on this controversial topic.

BRI Landmark Supreme Court Cases:  Texas v.  Johnson (1989)

Oyez Database:  Texas v. Johnson  (1989)

If Colin Kaepernick has First Amendment Rights to Protest, Do Police Too?

History Teacher who ‘Stomped’ on American Flag during Class is Suspended  

Background or Warm-Up Activity Assign students to read the case brief and answer the discussion questions found in the Bill of Rights Institute’s activity on  Texas v. Johnson  (1989) .  Students should use this review to familiarize themselves with the circumstances of the case and the court’s decision.  They should come to class prepared to discuss their answers.  

Activity: Debate

• As a class, review the discussion questions answered in the  Texas v. Johnson After the discussion, take a poll as to who agrees or disagrees with the court’s decision. Divide your class along these lines. If the numbers are disproportionate, randomly assign students to one side or the other. Inform your students that they will be debating the following question: To what extent should national symbols be protected from actions that many would deem disrespectful.
• Minersville School District v. Gobitis  (1940) [Later overturned]
• West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette  (1943)
• Texas v. Johnson  (1989)
• United States v. Eichman  (1990)
• United States Courts  website
• Oyez Database  from ITT Chicago-Kent College of Law
• Legal Information Institute  from Cornell University Law School
• Give your students approximately 15 minutes to review and research the Supreme Court cases listed above. Encourage students from both groups to split into smaller groups to cover each case to make the best use of this time.
• Speak courteously: No raised voices or insults of any kind.
• Listen courteously: No interruptions.
• Argue authoritatively: Use primary sources to support reasoning.
• Each group should nominate a spokesperson to deliver a short speech – no more than a minute long – in favor of their position.
• At the end of each side’s speech, the other side should appoint an individual (different from the main spokesperson) to “cross-examine” the other side. During this period, the cross-examiner may only ask questions. These are designed to clarify the first speaker’s arguments and ask questions that were unanswered or not considered earlier in the discussion.
• The next side should give their speech followed by cross-examination.
• Each group will then have a third speaker deliver a brief response addressing concerns raised during the cross examination.
• Have your students cast a secret ballot in order to determine which side’s argument was most compelling to the class. Encourage students not to simply vote for the side they participated in, but to truly consider which side had the more compelling argument.
• After the debate, complete the following “Debriefing” activity with your students designed to further their understanding of First Amendment protections

Debriefing Activity Ask your students the following critical thinking questions to further help them better understand First Amendment protections and the role of federalism and separation of powers:

• Does the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protect only free speech, or does it also protect freedom of expression as demonstrated by Johnson’s burning of an American flag or the North Carolina teacher’s stepping on the flag?
• Because the American flag, national anthem, and pledge of allegiance are treated with a high level of respect and patriotism by many, should this impact whether or not individuals are able to take actions seen as disrespectful to these national symbols?
• In North Carolina, a teacher was suspended after stepping on the American flag as part of a lecture on free speech. . While no legal action is being taken against the teacher, under North Carolina law, the teacher’s actions are still considered a misdemeanor for flag desecration. As a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Texas v. Johnson, should the teacher’s actions be protected by the First Amendment? Why or why not?

Extension Activity: Let your students debate with students from across the country on this topic through the Bill of Rights Institute’s Think the Vote  debate platform. Students have an opportunity to answer the question, “Should national symbols be protected from actions many deem disrespectful?.” Instruct your students to use their research and in class discussion to assist them in developing a well-reasoned argument from a constitutional perspective using the materials provided as well as the previously discussed material. After submitting their post, students will have an opportunity to view the responses of students from across the country.

• Note: If you are viewing this eLesson after October 7, 2017, the main Think the Vote topic will have changed, but you are still encouraged to have your students participate in the discussion. 

10 Lines on National Anthem

National Anthem of India is sung by the people of India to evoke the history of India’s struggle for freedom. ‘Jan Gana Mana’ is the official national anthem recognized by the government of India which is played and sung on number of occasions including cultural and national events. National Anthem helps in preserving and reinforcing the strong traditional culture by spreading the message of tolerance to pluralism across the world. It also evokes the true sense of patriotism in the heart of the people making them remember the sacrifices of our great freedom fighters and leaders.

10 Lines on National Anthem in English

We are providing 10 lines, 5 lines, 20 lines, few lines and sentences on National Anthem in English for Class 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. After reading these lines you will be able to know everything about National Anthem. You can add these lines in your essays and paragraph writing in your exam as well as in the school competition.

1) “Jan Gan Man” is the National Anthem of India.

2) It was written in 1911 by Rabindra Nath Tagore.

3) It has a total of five paragraphs.

4) The original song was written in the Bengali language.

5) It was translated in Hindi by Captain Abid Ali.

6) It is sung everywhere in the nation in Hindi language.

7) We sing the national anthem in schools in morning prayers.

8) We should stand when the national anthem is sung.

9) It is sung when national flag is hoisted on national festivals.

10) It brings the feeling of patriotism and unity among us.

10 Lines and Sentences on National Anthem

1) Every nation has its own national anthem in the world.

2) The national anthem of any nation depicts its culture and history.

3) The national anthem of India is ‘Jan Gan Man’.

4) Our national anthem is a pride for every Indian.

5) It was created by noble laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore in 1911.

6) It was sung for the first time in Calcutta on 27 December 1911.

7) It was officially accepted as the national anthem of India on 24 January 1950.

8) It is always sung as a token of respect on different occasions.

9) The time taken in singing the complete national anthem is 52 seconds.

10) We must maintain silence and stand when the national anthem is sung.

5 Lines on National Anthem

1) Our National Anthem is ‘Jan Gan Man’.

2) It was written by Ravindra Nath Tagore.

3) It was originally written in Bengali.

4) It consists of 5 stanzas.

5) We sing this at every national event.

20 Lines on National Anthem

1) National Anthem of India is the patriotic musical composition which is ‘’Jana Gana Mana” composed by Rabindranath Tagore.

2) The national anthem of India was originally written in ‘sanskrit tatsama’ Bengali language.

3) “Jan Gana Mana” was officially adopted by Indian constituent assembly as national anthem on 24 th January, 1950.

4) The national anthem consists of five stanzas and the duration of playing its full version is 52 seconds.

5) The national anthem of India is sung on various occasions flag hoisting, school prayers, national festivals etc.

6) The national anthem is often sung across nation in national language which is ‘Hindi’.

7) The proper guidelines have been issued from the government and the Supreme Court of India which should be followed while singing the national anthem.

8) Every citizen of India should stand respectfully while the national anthem is being played or sung on any occasion.

9) The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 is the act enacted by the parliament of India to prevent the insult of national anthem.

10) Offence to the act by preventing the singing of the Jana Gana Mana is punishable and may lead to the imprisonment for a year and fine or both.

11) National Anthem of India represents the country’s unique identity to the world.

12) National Anthem acts as a symbol of unity among its citizens as it is sung by people of different communities with the same spirit of patriotism.

13) The five stanzas of ‘Jan Gana Mana’ show the country’s rich, diversified culture and colourful history.

14) The entire lyrics and music of anthem was composed by Rabindranath Tagore in 1911 and was first sung in Calcutta on 27 th December, 2011.

15) Citizens play or sing the national anthem on various occasions like during the prayer in schools, celebration of national events, sports meet etc.

16) ‘Jana Gana Mana’ strengthens the idea of unity in diversity as people from different communities sing the anthem together with full of passion towards nation.

17) In 2016, Supreme Court made the playing of national anthem mandatory in theatres before every movie in order to instil the patriotism among citizens.

18) On cultural occasions, national anthem is played after hoisting ceremony of national flag.

19) National anthem is played before and after the arrival of President or Governor from a formal ceremony.

20) National anthem is also played during the presentation of regimental colours of Indian army.

‘Jana Gana Mana’ appeals greatly to the people from various sections of society by evoking patriotic emotions and bringing a sense of pride and honor. Whenever the national anthem is played live we should stand attentively in honor to pay respect to the freedom fighters who have sacrificed their lives for the nation.

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Short Essay On National Anthem

Essay anthem on national short.

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Popular Essays Writer Websites Gb “One, two” prepping us to play The National Anthem 13.05.2020 · Essay on Rabindranath Tagore: The National Anthem that we sing with such pride as written by Rabindranath Tagore, who was one of the most significant men and nationalists in India. In 1950, when India became independent, the poetic lyrics by Tagore were formally adopted as the national […]. The most notable early example of a protest against racism in America using sports and the national anthem …. Effects of the cold war essay how to write short research paper, how to write a conclusion for a research essay legal essay competition 2019. 24.02.2020 · The storm over a nine-year-old refusing to stand for the national anthem is an indication of how ugly, and misguided, some aspects of national debate have become Short Essay on 'National Anthem of India' in Hindi | 'Bharat ka Rashtra-Gaan' par Nibandh (100 Words). National anthem also serve as an important identity and unifying factor as a country Essays on National Anthem. May be even a freezed heart with no. 22.04.2019 · The National Anthem is the symbol of our unity. 4) The ‘Constituent Assembly’ adopted the first stanza of the poem as Indian National Anthem on 24 th January 1950 5) The National Anthem was also translated in English language known as ‘The Morning Song of India’ by Rabindranath Tagore on 28 th Feb. He was a poet as well as a writer and had won the Nobel Prize for his piece known as “Gitanjali.” His writings are still studied by students all over the world 25.09.2017 · Guest Essay: Why I stand for the national anthem. Protesting the anthem is a supremely patriotic act, as Kaepernick strives to make his nation a better place. “One, two” prepping us to play The National Anthem Persuasive Essay On The National Anthem 1333 Words 6 Pages The national anthem is one of the most important aspects of a country’s independent status, and an enormous center point to one’s country that most everyone in their country strictly values 14.11.2011 · This free essay discusses the National Anthem Protest which was first started by Colin Kaepernick in the NFL and has now spread to many players both in the NFL and other major sports.

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Short Essay on 'National Anthem of India' (150 Words)

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Great Concept. Whenever the anthem is sung or played live, the audience should stand in attention position. It cannot be indiscriminately sung or played randomly. Hence sahara people are putting their best effort to make the work record. We should also participate to achieve the world record. Today we live amid a sea of corruptions but tomorrow, through creativity and struggle, win the fight to free all of our heart and minds. Let’s get creative. Let’s win. Bharat Bhawna Diwas

It sounds to be a concept revolving around national pride and patriotism. Let us support this great initiative to make it a success.

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After Living Much of Life at Sea, Captain Sandy Finds Love on Land

Sandy Yawn of “Below Deck Mediterranean” married Leah Shafer on — what else? — a superyacht in Florida.

By Tammy LaGorce

Sandra Dolores Yawn has been locked up, left for dead on a Florida highway and chased through the Red Sea by pirates.

In the summer of 2018, Leah Rae Shafer reached out on Facebook to send Ms. Yawn her blessings. Not because she thought Ms. Yawn, who goes by Captain Sandy, needed her well wishes, but because she had started watching “Below Deck Mediterranean” on Bravo.

The show follows a crew tasked with catering to a revolving cadre of guests who have chartered a superyacht. Ms. Yawn, a star of the series, is at the helm. Ms. Shafer had written to congratulate her on the show’s success. There was another reason, too. “I thought she was hot,” she said.

Ms. Yawn, 59, has been a yacht captain for more than 30 years. Her foray into television, which started in 2017, was not exactly foreordained. Until her mid-20s, “I was a mess,” Ms. Yawn said. “I was always in trouble. I got kicked out of 11th grade. I didn’t go to college.” At 13, at the start of an adolescence spent between Dundee, Fla., where her father lived, and Bradenton, Fla., where her mother lived, she started drinking. By 17, “I was getting arrested so many times I couldn’t even count how many,” she said. Usually a parent bailed her out. Her father’s refusal to do so after one drunken incident landed her a night in jail.

In 1989, when she was 25, the revolving door of South Florida treatment centers she had been pushing through quit spinning when a counselor told her she couldn’t return. “She said, ‘Sandy, as soon as you get some money in your pocket you’re going to start drinking again,’” Ms. Yawn said.

Fearing real jail time, she joined Alcoholics Anonymous. To start paying off the thousands of dollars she owed in legal fees and addiction treatment center bills, she got a job washing boats in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. By 30, she had earned her captain’s license from Maritime Professional Training, a school in Fort Lauderdale for mariners and yachting professionals.

Rehab — she still has an A.A. sponsor and attends meetings whenever possible — helped her pin down the roots of her teenage rebellion. “I think a big part of my drinking was that I couldn’t accept my sexuality,” she said. “When I got sober is when I accepted that, oh my gosh, I actually prefer women.”

For Ms. Shafer, that level of acceptance took much longer. It also cost her a career as a gospel singer.

Ms. Shafer, 50, is the entrepreneur behind a skin care line, Skin by Leah, and a jewelry business started with a friend, Cuff Me. When she messaged Ms. Yawn to congratulate her on the success of “Below Deck Mediterranean” in 2018, she and her husband of 20 years, then living with their teenage daughter in Denver, were going through a divorce. The relationship had gone stale years earlier, Ms. Shafer said, but fear and uncertainty prevented her from leaving.

“I had the security of not worrying financially, because he took care of everything,” she said. Her gospel career at a nondenominational church had taken off when she was still in high school in Hesperia, Calif. But that was mostly a labor of love.

“I toured and went to college at the same time,” said Ms. Shafer, who graduated from California State University, Northridge, with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts.

By her 30s, she was recording albums, touring megachurches and singing at major Christian conferences. A flirtation with secular performance in the 2000s landed her on the 2003-04 revival of “Star Search” and later a recurring role on NBC’s “The Singing Bee.”

But “I loved God and I loved inspiring people, and the platform I was given was on the stage of churches,” she said. The only problem: “There was really no money in that.”

Before their divorce was final in 2019, she and her husband tried therapy and prayed together. Finally, in 2018, “I just jumped,” she said. “I took a leap of faith. I wanted freedom.”

She found it financially first. Skin by Leah Studio, her Lone Tree, Colo. facial salon that she founded in 2017, was successful right away, she said. When she first saw Ms. Yawn on TV, she was settling into life as an entrepreneur. She didn’t expect to get a response to her Facebook message. But when she got one three months later, in October 2018, it came with an invitation.

In addition to her job as a TV star, Ms. Yawn had started touring with “I Believe,” a series of motivational talks she created to inspire women in leadership positions. When she finally read Ms. Shafer’s message — thousands had been piling up, she said, but something drew her to Ms. Shafer’s — she was in the market for an entertainer for the talks.

In her message, Ms. Shafer had included a video of herself singing the national anthem at a 2014 Denver Broncos game. Once Ms. Yawn clicked the link, she replied right away. “She gave me her phone number and said, ‘I heard you sing,’” Ms. Shafer said. “‘Let’s meet up and talk about how we can do something together.’”

The two continued to talk on the phone and over email. Ms. Yawn was then living in Los Angeles. Ms. Shafer had been planning a Disneyland vacation with her daughter, Lauren, in November, a trip that gave her an excuse to meet Ms. Yawn in person.

Both say they fell in love seconds after Ms. Shafer pulled into Ms. Yawn’s driveway in mid-November 2018. “I offered to park her car for her, and that’s when we hugged,” Ms. Yawn said. “I felt this energy I had never felt. I knew I had to pay attention to that.”

It was a life-changing hug for Ms. Shafer, too. “It was not a normal feeling when I met Sandy,” she said. “She wasn’t the stern captain you see on TV. She was just so fun and so beautiful. That hug melted me.”

Over dinner at Catch, a Los Angeles seafood restaurant, they acknowledged their attraction. “I was really honest with her,” Ms. Yawn said. But Ms. Shafer wasn’t ready to date a woman. “I knew I wanted to be with her,” she said. “I was just freaked out.”

By the end of the evening, Ms. Yawn told her she should take her time. It had been two years since Ms. Yawn’s last relationship. “So at that point I was like, ‘Why rush it?’” she said. “I was older and I’ve learned a lot of lessons. One was, let things happen naturally. Slow and steady wins the race.”

Six months later, the race was over. The women were in a committed relationship, and Ms. Yawn had moved to a place near Ms. Shafer’s in Denver. It was smooth sailing until the end of 2019, when news of the couple’s relationship started circulating in entertainment media.

The public outing ended Ms. Shafer’s gospel career. “I knew the minute I came out as being in love with a woman it would be over, and it was,” she said. Her six CDs, sold in dozens of church bookstores, were pulled from shelves and shipped to her doorstep. Christian radio stations stopped playing her music.

“I had worked for 35 years,” she said. “And it was over.”

Most painful of all were comments after her father’s death from Covid in 2020. “People in the church told me he died because of my sins,” she said. “But he had met and come to accept Sandy before he passed, and I thank God that happened.” Now, “my family adores Sandy.”

Ms. Yawn lost both her parents to heart attacks before she became a TV star — her father in 2006, and her mother in 2009. In 2015, she was en route to the Miami Boat Show on her motorcycle when she was hit by a car. The driver left the scene. “I felt my mother’s presence while I was flipping through the air, and I felt peaceful,” she said.

When she hit the pavement, she had a fractured pelvis and her foot “was on sideways,” she said. By then, though, she was used to navigating life and death scenarios, including fires at sea and run-ins with pirates. She credits her fortitude and empathy, qualities highlighted on “Below Deck Mediterranean,” which she joined in 2017, to her sobriety. “I’ve got nothing to hide and everything to share,” she said.

In 2022, Ms. Yawn and Ms. Shafer bought a house together in Parker, Colo. In September 2023, while Ms. Yawn was filming in Greece, Ms. Shafer flew overseas to visit. Ms. Yawn proposed with a diamond engagement ring on the beach , with violin players in the background.

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On May 11, Ms. Shafer and Ms. Yawn were married in Fort Lauderdale aboard She’s a 10 Too, a superyacht lent to the couple by their friend Carolyn Aronson. Fifty-five guests, the maximum allowed aboard the vessel, were in attendance. Among them were “Below Deck Mediterranean” castmates Aesha Scott, Kate Chastain and Dave White, known to viewers as Chef Dave. (And yes, there were cameras filming.)

Ms. Shafer, in a long white wedding gown by Leah Da Gloria, walked down the aisle with her two brothers, Matthew Dale and Justin Dale, to an altar decorated with white roses and hydrangeas; her daughter, now 18, was her maid of honor.

Ms. Yawn, in a white Veronica Beard suit, was escorted down the aisle by Mark Dunham, her brother-in-law. Michelle Dunham, Ms. Yawn’s sister, was her maid of honor. Most guests were barefoot, as is common on yachts. The brides and their wedding party were granted an exception.

Nadine Rajabi, the showrunner of “Below Deck Mediterranean,” who is ordained by the Universal Life Church, married them on the yacht’s bridge aft deck, a job made more difficult by the weather: wind caused her microphone to cut out and blew the pages of her speech around. But nothing could disturb the focus of the brides as they read handwritten vows.

Ms. Shafer told Ms. Yawn that she had taught her to be more optimistic, more playful and “to jump.” Ms. Yawn told Ms. Shafer that she had given her patience and grace.

The captain had been hoping to make it through the ceremony free of tears. But that, she said shortly after they were pronounced married, was impossible. “The minute I looked at Leah and started reading her all the reasons I fell in love with her I started to cry,” she said. “It’s so amazing to find this kind of love in your lifetime.”

On This Day

When May 11, 2024

Where Aboard the superyacht She’s a 10 Too, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Rescue Mission The couple chose “She’s a Lady” for their first dance during an onboard reception. Chef Dave prepared short ribs and a three-tiered, gluten-free vanilla, chocolate and strawberry cake that threatened to topple in the wind and heat (temperatures were in the 90s).

Cruising After the wedding, the brides took off for a five-day honeymoon to Little Palm Island on a yacht lent by Mr. Flynn. Ms. Yawn was at the helm, of course.

Onward In June, Ms. Yawn and Ms. Shafer will move from Denver to Ponte Vedra, Fla., to be closer to Ms. Dunham, who runs a private school for children with autism, Jacksonville School for Autism, in Jacksonville. On June 3, season nine of “Below Deck Mediterranean” premieres on Bravo. And on July 1, Ms. Shafer will open a skin care studio in Ponte Vedra.

An earlier version of this article misidentified   the man who escorted Sandy Yawn down the aisle. It was Mark Dunham, her brother-in-law, not her friend John Flynn. An earlier version of a picture caption also misidentified Mr. Dunham as Mr. Flynn. Additionally, the article misstated   the shoe rule aboard   the superyacht on which the wedding was held. The brides and their wedding party were allowed to wear shoes; other guests were not.

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Keeping Friendships Intact: The soon-to-be-married couple and their closest friends might experience stress and even tension leading up to their nuptials. Here’s how to avoid a friendship breakup .

‘Edible Haute Couture’: Bastien Blanc-Tailleur, a luxury cake designer based in Paris, creates opulent confections for high-profile clients , including European royalty and American socialites.

Reinventing a Mexican Tradition: Mariachi, a soundtrack for celebration in Mexico, offers a way for couples to honor their heritage  at their weddings.

Something Thrifted: Focused on recycled clothing , some brides are finding their wedding attire on vintage sites and at resale stores.

Brand Your Love Story: Some couples are going above and beyond to personalize their weddings, with bespoke party favors and custom experiences for guests .

Going to Great Lengths : Mega wedding cakes are momentous for reasons beyond their size — they are part of an emerging trend of extremely long cakes .

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