Understanding the American National Anthem for English Language Learners

National Anthem History

On the morning of September 14, 1814, the sun rose to reveal a surprising sight to Francis Scott Key.

Just a month after the British had burned the White House during the height of the War of 1812, Key was aboard a British vessel negotiating the release of a friend who was being held prisoner. During Key’s time aboard the vessel, the British commenced an attack on Fort McHenry and the pair was not allowed to leave. So Key and his friend watched from the ship as the British bombarded Fort McHenry.

After a day and a long night in which Key thought for certain that the American fort was doomed, he was shocked when the early morning light revealed that the American flag was still there. Still aboard the British vessel, Key began to pen the words that would later become the American national anthem.

Some time later, Key’s brother-in-law paired the poem with the tune of the English drinking song “To Anacreon in Heaven” by John Stafford Smith and began distributing the song as “Defence of Fort M’Henry.” Eventually, the song was published in the Baltimore Patriot newspaper and soon after spread across the country as “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It was played at official events across the nation, officially becoming the national anthem in 1931.

National Anthem Lyrics

While Key penned three more verses in addition to the well-known first verse, these are the only words that most Americans know:

O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

What Does the National Anthem Mean?

This is the first verse of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Breaking it down line-by-line reveals some words and phrases that, despite being sung so often, may not make sense to most people.

“O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming?”

• dawn: early morning, just as the sun begins to rise
• hail’d (hailed): to honor something (in this case the flag)
• gleaming: a gleam is a flash of light, likely referring to the last bits of light hitting the flag as the sun set
• twilight: the last bit of light from the sun fading as it sets

These lines ask listeners if they can see the American flag waving over Fort McHenry as the sun begins to rise. The flag is a symbol of how the Americans held the fort against all odds, so if the flag hadn’t been there, Key would have known the fort was defeated. Key held onto the flag as a symbol of hope as he watched from the British vessel, catching sight of it as the sun set, twelve hours after the British bombardment began.

“Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming?”

• broad: wide, referring to the stripes that run across the American flag
• perilous: dangerous
• ramparts: the embankments that were part of the fort’s defense
• gallantly: in a heroic or brave manner
• streaming: this describes the flag waving in the wind
• O’er (over): above

This bit describes the American flag flying throughout the battle.

“And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.”

There aren’t that many challenging words in this part, where Key describes how the British bombs occasionally lit up the American flag that was flying throughout the night.

“O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

• spangled: decorated
• banner: a long strip of cloth or paper (in this case, a flag)

In this final verse, Key asks one last time if the flag is still there, waving over a country born from revolution and still fighting to maintain its hard-won freedom.

Cool Fact: March 3 is recognized in the United States as National Anthem Day.

Theater and Theatre—How Is It Spelled?

Whether you use the spelling theatre or theater will depend on where you hail from. In American English, the spelling is theater; in Britain and the rest of the English-speaking world, theatre is used. The spelling you choose—theater vs. theatre—should align with your audience’s preference.

Why Are There Different Spellings: “Theatre” vs. “Theater”?

Theater has roots in both Greek and Latin and came to English through the Old French word theatre. Theatre and similar words ending in -re were sometimes spelled with the -er until the 1660s, when the French-borrowed -re spellings came to be preferred; before that, both spellings were considered equally correct. Chaucer, for example, spelled it theatre. Shakespeare, on the other hand, spelled it theater. Today, theatre is considered the correct spelling in Britain and in most English-speaking countries other than the United States.

In the eighteenth century, following the American Revolutionary War, Noah Webster sought to create a standard literacy curriculum specifically for his fledgling nation. Not only did he succeed at replacing British textbooks with new American versions, but he also published his own meticulously researched dictionary, notable for its reformed spellings. The separation of British and American spellings, and in some ways, punctuation, had begun.

Webster was the man who took the u out of colour and turned musick into music. He preferred spellings that were simpler and closely modeled pronunciation, which was why theatre became theater and similar words, like centre, became center. Most of the newly respelled -er words caught on in the United States, especially in the last century or so.

When to Use “Theatre”

Choose the spelling theatre whenever your audience will likely be predominantly using British English or its local variant. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and South Africa, for example, all use the spelling theatre. American English and British English do have remarkable differences, don’t they?

There are notable exceptions, however. Take the New York theater scene. We refer to the Broadway Theater District, yet many of the most frequented Broadway theaters actually have theatre spelled out on their marquees:

Broadway Theatre Winter Garden Theatre Majestic Theatre Richard Rogers Theatre Palace Theatre

And of course, there is Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., which is famous for being the site of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.

Across the pond, things are much simpler.

Do you have theatre tickets for any of this season’s West End shows?

When to Use “Theater”

If your audience speaks American English, use theater. Theater is also the most predominant spelling on the internet, statistically speaking, if that is your determining factor.

Did you know that, in addition to his Wild West exploits, Buffalo Bill had a theater career?

Manuel is interested in trying his luck in the musical theater scene.

Cinema or Movie Theater?

Brits and Americans don’t just spell differently; some of the vernacular is different as well. Brits talk about going to the cinema or catching a film. An older British expression for going to see a film is going to the pictures. Americans speak of the movies as a slang abbreviation for motion pictures. While in British English, a building called a theatre is for only plays and musicals, American English also has movie theaters. Canadians have a blended approach to the place where they view blockbusters: they call them (and spell them) movie theatres.

Do you want to go to the cinema tonight, or do you want to stay in? (British English)

We plan to catch a film with our neighbors on Saturday. (British English)

I remember the days when we went to the pictures every Friday evening. (British English)

Please don’t make me go to the movie theater on Main Street. They put too much butter on their popcorn. (American English)

She refused to go to the movies with my cousin Albert. (American English)

Whether you spell it theater or theatre, or you refer to films, movies, or the cinema, it is unlikely that your readers will be confused by whichever word you choose.

Capital vs. Capitol

• Capital can be a noun or an adjective. Capital can refer to uppercase letters, accumulated wealth, or the city that serves as the seat of a country’s or state’s government.
• A capitol is a building in which the legislative body of government meets.
• In the United States, the Capitol is a building in Washington in which the US Congress meets.
• Capitol Hill is a metonym for the US Congress, but also a neighborhood in Washington DC.

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With only one letter setting them apart from each other, capital and capitol are two easily confused words. The fact that both are often used when talking about politics or the government doesn’t help, either.

Definition of Capital

As an adjective, capital can describe uppercase letters, punishments that involve execution, something that relates to wealth, or something that is most serious, important, or influential:

The word “January” is always written with a capital J.

Mary was always against capital punishment.

We saw an increase in capital gains in the last quarter.

Peter’s capital offense was his unwillingness to say he’s sorry.

Some people think that The Old Man and the Sea is not Hemingway’s capital work.

As a noun, capital can refer to an amount of accumulated wealth, an uppercase letter, or a city that serves as the seat of a country’s or state’s government:

Once you’ve accumulated enough capital, you can think about investing it in start-up businesses.

When you write in all capitals it will seem like you’re shouting.

Paris is the capital of France.

Definition of Capitol

A capitol is a building in which a legislature operates. In the United States, the Capitol is building in Washington DC where the United States Congress meets. Some countries like Cuba, Venezuela, and Colombia also have capitols; other countries, like Norway, Canada, and Kenya, call their legislative buildings parliaments:

In the United States, laws are passed in the Capitol; in the UK, they are passed in the Palace of Westminster; in Australia, they are passed in the Parliament House.

Capital and Capitol: Examples

But it frees up capital and adds 40 to 50 basis points to a key measure of Deutsche Bank’s financial health, its common equity Tier 1 capital ratio.

The Wall Street Journal

The thick smog that covers India’s capital of New Delhi has been identified as the worst the city has seen in 17 years.

The Weather Network

The letter, in which Mr Carney described himself as “Your Majesty’s humble and obedient servant”, was branded at the top with a red-inked “Seen by the Queen” stamp in capital letters to show the sovereign had read the correspondence.

The Daily Telegraph

Nicolli had a big job—handling a big tree that will adorn the U.S. Capitol’s West Lawn for the Christmas season.

KTVB

The capitol’s second floor houses a grand social hall where wakes of provincial government officials, grand balls, parties, concerts and meetings are held.

The Inquirer

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Dreamed or Dreamt

Is there a difference between dreamed and dreamt? You might be surprised to find conflicting reports. Some people say that there is no difference. Others say that the two words have different meanings. What’s the real deal?

Dreamt and dreamed are both past tense forms of dream. Dreamt is more common in Britain, while dreamed is more common in other English-speaking countries, including the U.S. Dreamed seems to be more popular than dreamt when talking about sleeping, but when dream has a hopeful, literary sense, dreamt might be used.

More Details About the Verb to Dream

Let’s start with the dictionary definition of “to dream.” To dream is to experience visions of thoughts as you sleep. However, you can also dream while you are awake, when you envision an event, hope for something, or just daydream. To illustrate, here is a quote from Epigrams by Oscar Wilde:

Oh, I dream of dragons with gold and silver scales, and scarlet flames coming out of their mouths, of eagles with eyes made of diamonds that can see over the whole world at once, of lions with yellow manes and voices like thunder. . .

Dreamed or Dreamt—What’s the Difference?

In addition to definitions, you can also search for the past tense of verbs in a dictionary. Merriam-Webster.com lists two forms for dream—dreamed and dreamt. So, the two words have at least one thing in common; they function as the past tense of dream. As you probably guessed, which one you favor depends on where you live. In all varieties of English except British, dreamed is the most common form by a landslide. However, in the United Kingdom, dreamt is almost as prevalent. Here are a couple of examples of dreamed and dreamt, both from ESPN sites. Pay attention to the meaning. Do you see a difference?

“Our goal is gold―we’ve dreamt about it from when we were little kids, laying in bed dreaming about it, getting that gold medal put around our necks on the podium.” ―ESPN W

Cristiano Ronaldo said Portugal [has] “dreamed” of making the final of Euro 2016 “since the very beginning.” ―ESPN FC

Don’t worry if you couldn’t find a difference. There really wasn’t one. Both sentences use dream in the sense of “to hope” for a future goal. Dreamt, if it is chosen, is most often used in this capacity. Writers talking about a sleep state or a waking fantasy are more likely to choose dreamed, as you will find in these literary examples:

He no longer dreamed of storm, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach. . . . He never dreamed about the boy. ―Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

I dreamed I flung the violin into a brackish, wind-rippled slough, where the glue would slowly soften until it fell to pieces. I dreamed I laid it on the frozen ground and stepped on it, crushing the thin shell into jigsaw shards. ―Marta Iyer, The Pilgrim’s Book of Hours: A Baroque Migration

Besides the preference for dreamed over dreamt when refering to sleep or fantasy, some writers favor dreamed when duration matters. Here is the dreamt spelling in a sentence where duration is unimportant: The dog dreamt of bones last night. Does it matter whether the dream lasted three or five minutes? No, the main point is that the dog’s dream was about bones. Now, consider this sentence where duration is important: The dog dreamed of bones all night. Now, the focus is on how those bones filled the dog’s dream so much that he dreamed of nothing else. Other times, people decide which form to use based on other factors. For example, consider the “I dreamed a dream” lyrics from Les Misérables. Perhaps the composer just didn’t think “I dreamt a dream” sound right with the melody.

If someone asked you what your dreams were about last night, how would you answer? Would you say, “I dreamed of. . .” Or would you say, “I dreamt of. . .”? If you are British, dreamt is almost as likely a choice as dreamed. American English speakers would probably opt for dreamed, but they are both acceptable options. What is the difference between dreamed and dreamt? You know the answer to that, but what about learned vs. learnt?