Francis Scott Key was born August 1, 1779, on his family's extensive plantation in Frederick, Maryland. He was a graduate of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland.

In 1802, Key married Mary Taylor Lloyd and was a devoted husband and father who wrote poetry for his family.

In 1805, he established a successful law practice with his uncle in Georgetown, near Washington, D.C. In addition to being a deeply religious young man, Key also became a great public speaker who campaigned against slavery.

During a military attack in 1814, the British burned the White House, Capitol Building, and Library of Congress in Washington and advanced up the Chesapeake Bay to capture Baltimore.

Francis Scott Key and Colonel John Skinner sailed in a small boat to the British fleet to secure the release of a prisoner and friend of Key, Dr. William Beanes. The British agreed to release Dr. Beanes but detained all three men until the commencement of the attack on Fort McHenry. They were placed on board their small boat behind the British fleet, and from a distance of eight miles they watched the terrible twenty-five hour continuous bombardment of Baltimore's fort.

Following Fort McHenry's victorious battle, Key wrote the poem that soon became very popular and later became our National Anthem.

Francis Scott Key continued in his law practice and later became a district attorney.

He died in 1843 at his daughter's home in Baltimore.