War of 1812 Literacy

What is the most popular song in America?

• American Pie• Sweet Home Alabama• New York, New York• Stairway to Heaven• Hotel California• Thriller• Born in the USA

The Star Spangled Banner

What was the song referring to?

Who wrote it?

What was he looking at?

What did the original lyrics look like?

What came after the lyrics?

What came after the sheet music?

Sung at every sporting event in America

The Lyrics are from the War of 1812

Where did the melody come from?

The Anacreontic song

• popular British drinking song, written by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, a men's amateur musicians club in London in 1760. He was 17 years old.

The Anacreontic society

• Professional men named their club after the Greek court poet Anacreon (6th century BC), whose poems, "anacreontics", were used to entertain patrons in Teos and Athens. His songs often celebrated women, wine, and entertaining, and today can be considered eroticism.

Let’s look at the Lyrics for Historical references.

• In your groups, search for references to ancient Greek Gods and list them on a sheet of paper.

• Make a second list of new words you encountered for the first time.

The Star Spangled Banner

• During the rainy night, Key had witnessed the bombardment and observed that the fort’s smaller "storm flag" continued to fly.

Then what happened?

• Key was inspired by the American victory and the sight of the large American flag flying triumphantly above the fort.

• Aboard the ship the next day, Key wrote a poem on the back of a letter he had kept in his pocket.

• September 14, 1814

Let’s look at his lyrics

• In your groups, write down a list of new words you encounter for the first time.

• And make a list of any words associated with war.

1812 Famous Quotes

• Let’s practice writing in the old style of 1812.

• Each student will choose one quote and write it out on the paper provided

1812 literature read-aloud

• Newspaper Articles and Isaac Brock’s letter• Each student will read aloud one paragraph

from 1812 correspondences that were written during the war.

Group Activity-Literature Circles

• Every one get together in one group and fulfill your assigned responsibilities.

• This activity will be based on James Madison’s Declaration of War to Congress