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Independence Day
"🎶 O, say, does that
Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free
And the home of the brave?"
~ "The Star Spangled Banner", Francis Scott Key, 1814
The Star-Spangled Banner, or the Great Garrison Flag, was the garrison flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor during the naval portion of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812. The flag was commissioned by the fort's commander, Major George Armistead, who specified a "flag so large that the British would have no difficulty seeing it from a distance." Seeing the flag flying over Fort McHenry on the morning of September 14, 1814, after the battle ended, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry". These words were set to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven", a popular song at the time, by John Stafford Smith, and by 1931 the song became the national anthem of the United States! Happy Independence Day, United States! 🇺🇸 🎆 🎉 🎈
This tartan, designed by Steven Patrick Sim was designed to pay tribute to the Star-Spangled Banner - the historic US flag carried during the War of 1812, and the same ‘Great Garrison Flag’ that flew over Fort McHenry during the harbour Battle of Baltimore, Sept 13th 1814. British warships pounded the American fort for 25 hours sending a bombardment of shells and rockets.
After the battle in the early dawn of Sept 14th, seeing the flag still flying, Francis Scott Key was stirred to write the poem “Defence of Fort M'Henry”. The poem not only inspired the name of the flag but also became the lyrics of the national anthem of the US.
The sett is created to visually represent the Stars and Stripes (the red, white & blue of the flag), and the explosive drama of the battle. The thread count of the design incorporates the past and present: 15 blue & 15 red threads represent the 15 stars & 15 stripes of the Star-Spangled Banner; 13 threads in the broad red and white stripes, and 50 threads in the dark blue field represent the present-day US Flag.
For more on this battle and the flag's origins, click the flag of 1814!