Another reason why the War of 1812 was an important conflict was because the American national anthem was written during it. The song we know today as the national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, was written by Attorney Francis Scott Key on September 14th, 1814. Key was sent on a ship to negotiate the release of an American civilian imprisoned by the British (“The War of 1812”). While aboard the vessel, Key witnessed the twenty-five hour bombardment of Fort McHenry. He saw the British fleeing the fort and the Americans pushing them away. Form his distant ship, he was able to make out a tattered, beaten American flag flying high above the fort. At that moment, Key began to write the poem that would become our national anthem. However, the poem did not become the national anthem until 1931 and the actual song is only the first stanza of the poem. The Star-Spangled Banner was an important part of the war because it would become the national anthem and was one of the things that was taken from the conflict.