Question: when did francis scott key write the lyrics that became the national anthem
Answer: The lyrics come from `` Defence of Fort M'Henry '' , a poem written on September 14 , 1814 , by the then 35 - year - old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812 .