Francis Scott Key was born on August 1, 1779, in Frederick County, Maryland, U.S. He is best known for writing the lyrics of 'The Star-Spangled Banner', the national anthem of the United States.

In 1789, Key moved to Annapolis to attend preparatory school at St. John’s College, where he studied various subjects including Latin, Greek, mathematics, grammar, and the sciences.

Francis Scott Key graduated from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland in 1796. This educational background laid the foundation for his future career as a lawyer and poet.

Francis Scott Key married his wife, Mary 'Polly' Taylor Lloyd, in the early part of 1800. Together, they had 11 children and Key was a very active member of the Episcopalian church.

After finishing his studies at St. John's College, Francis Scott Key returned to Frederick County, Maryland in 1801 to begin his law practice. He later formed a partnership with Philip Barton Key and practiced law in the District of Columbia.

By 1805, Francis Scott Key had a well-established law practice of his own in Georgetown, a suburb of Washington, D.C.

In 1806, Key's sister, Anne Phoebe Charlton Key, married Roger B. Taney, who later became Chief Justice of the United States.

In 1807, Francis Scott Key gained recognition for defending Justus Eric Bollman and Samuel Swartwout, who were accused of treason in connection to an alleged conspiracy involving Aaron Burr.

In 1811, Key took out a loan to buy the Terra Rubra property for $8,500.00 after his father was forced to auction it due to financial difficulties.

Francis Scott Key strongly opposed the War of 1812 due to his religious beliefs, but he briefly served in the Georgetown field artillery in 1813 out of love for his country.

Key met with Army Colonel John Skinner in Baltimore on September 4 to prepare for prisoner-exchange negotiations with British officials.

In 1814, Francis Scott Key sailed in a small flag-of-truce vessel out of the port of Baltimore with Colonel John Skinner to negotiate a prisoner exchange with the Royal Navy, which led to the release of Dr. William Beanes.

On September 7, Key and Skinner located the British command vessel, Tonnant, at the mouth of the Potomac River, initiating negotiations for the exchange of prisoners.

Francis Scott Key was sent to negotiate the release of Dr. Beanes and ended up being taken prisoner on a ship in the Chesapeake Bay.

On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key witnessed the raising of the American flag over Fort McHenry after Britain's twenty-five hour bombardment. This event inspired Key to write 'The Defense of Fort M'Henry,' which later became 'The Star Spangled Banner,' the national anthem of the United States.

On September 20, 1814, Francis Scott Key's poem 'Defence of Fort M'Henry' was published by the Baltimore Patriot. This poem later became known as 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' the national anthem of the United States.

In 1816, Francis Scott Key helped found the American Colonization Society, which aimed to promote the emigration of African Americans from the United States to Africa.

In 1820, Francis Scott Key helped found the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to promote Episcopal missionary activity in the western territories.

John Ross Key, father of Francis Scott Key who wrote the lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner, passed away on January 1, 1821.

Three years later, in 1823, Francis Scott Key was one of the chief founders of the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary, later renamed the Virginia Theological Seminary.

Francis Scott Key, who had previously stayed away from politics, became a strong advocate for the Democratic Party and its candidate, Andrew Jackson, during the 1828 U.S. presidential election.

In 1829, Francis Scott Key assisted in various legal cases including the prosecution of Tobias Watkins for misappropriating public funds and serving as the attorney for Sam Houston during his trial for assaulting a representative.

In 1830, Francis Scott Key freed his personal slaves, reflecting his evolving and contradictory views on slavery throughout his life.

In 1833, President Jackson nominated Francis Scott Key as the District Attorney for the District of Columbia, a position he held until 1841.

Francis Scott Key served as the prosecuting attorney in the trial of Richard Lawrence, who attempted to assassinate President Andrew Jackson. Despite the clear evidence, Key ensured Lawrence received a fair trial, leading to his acquittal and institutionalization.

In 1836, Francis Scott Key was the chief prosecutor in the U.S. vs. Reuben Crandall case. Crandall, an abolitionist, was arrested for distributing anti-slavery literature and charged with sedition. Key's arguments in the case highlighted his ambiguous stance on slavery, prioritizing property rights of slave owners over civil liberties.

In 1838, a quote misattributed to Francis Scott Key regarding free black people was actually describing the attitudes of others towards former slaves, not his personal beliefs.

Francis Scott Key passed away on January 11, 1843, at the age of 63 due to pleurisy. He was initially buried in Baltimore and later moved to his family plot in Frederick.

The work of the American Colonization Society, of which Francis Scott Key was a founding member, eventually led to the creation of Liberia in 1847 as a destination for free black people.

In 1859, Key's son Philip Barton Key II, who served as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, was shot and killed by Daniel Sickles after an affair with Sickles' wife. Sickles was acquitted using the temporary insanity defense.

In 1861, Key's grandson Francis Key Howard was imprisoned in Fort McHenry with other Confederate sympathizers.

The grave of Francis Scott Key was relocated and placed in his family's burial plot on January 1, 1898.

The Francis Scott Key Monument in Baltimore, Maryland, costing approximately $25,000, was designed by French sculptor Antonin Mercié and erected in 1911.

A memorial was constructed to honor Francis Scott Key and his wife, where their remains were placed in a crypt in 1931.

On March 3, 1931, Congress and President Herbert Hoover officially declared 'The Star-Spangled Banner' as the national anthem of the United States, despite criticisms about its lyrics and singability.

The World War II Liberty ship SS Francis Scott Key was named in honor of Francis Scott Key.

The residence of Francis Scott Key located in Georgetown was dismantled in 1947 despite preservation efforts. The house was situated at 3516–18 M Street.

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower codified the motto 'In God We Trust' as the official motto for the United States, which may have been adapted from a line in Francis Scott Key's poem.

The US Navy named a submarine, the USS Francis Scott Key (SSBN-657), in honor of Francis Scott Key.

Francis Scott Key was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

Protestors toppled the statue of Francis Scott Key at Golden Gate Park in California as part of a movement to remove monuments of historical figures who were slave owners.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge part of the Baltimore Beltway was destroyed by a cargo ship on March 26, 2024.