The Star Spangle Banner

History of the Star Spangle Banner Maybe idea of Major George Armistead The glory of Americans who scan her Of Mary Pickersgill she was begat The creation of the original flag Be still a subject highly debated Mary Pickersgill was not one to brag Old Glory she made, beauty wind inflated Armistead first requested it to be A large garrison flag for reason So the British have no trouble to see Good to see our flag has flown in season Fifteen colonies equal fifteen stars Having eight red stripes and seven white stripes Red and white stripes run in parallel bars She flows in glory apart from other types Rumor has it two glories were first made For a small and a large Mary did charge A document exists a bill was paid Though small one be lost or is still at large The varied small Star Spangled Banner Never made it home to the Smithsonian Would be nice to see displayed in some manner In national museum the large is on loan! For Contest Dazzle us with History For Carolyn Devonshire and James Frazer The History of the Real Star Spangled Banner The creation of the original flag is still a debated subject. However, the general story accepted by most historians is that Mary Pickersgill was commissioned to make the flag by Major George Armistead for $405.90. Following the victory at Fort McHenry, the flag was preserved by Col. Armistead and it remained in the Armistead family. A smaller one which was flown during the actual battle, and a larger one that was flown as a replacement immediately after the British retreat. This was a common wartime practice of the period.While no one can say for sure what really happened, documents exist that show that Mary Pickersgill was paid for two separate flags, a small one and a larger one. If the smaller flag exists, its whereabouts are unknown. In 1907, George Armistead’s grandson, Eben Appleton, expressed interest in donating the flag to the state of Maryland or to the city of Baltimore. After discussions with Maryland’s governor and the Mayor of Baltimore, Appleton eventually placed the flag on loan to Smithsonian Institution and it was displayed in the Hall of History at the National Museum of American History. The loan was converted to a gift in 1912 and can still be seen at the National Museum in Washington, D.C.