Fort McHenry is associated with which defense during the War of 1812?

• A. The burning of Washington
• B. The defense of Baltimore
• C. The Battle of Tippecanoe
• D. The capture of Detroit

Answer: (B)

Coastal defenses protecting key ports were crucial during the War of 1812. Fort McHenry became a symbol of Baltimore’s defense when British forces bombarded the fort in 1814 in an effort to capture the city’s harbor. The defenders held out, and the sight of the flag still flying at dawn showed that Baltimore had not fallen. That moment inspired the poem by Francis Scott Key, which became the national anthem, highlighting how holding the harbor mattered for national morale and security.

The other events listed are different incidents from the war era and not tied to Fort McHenry: the burning of Washington happened separately in 1814, Tippecanoe was a pre-war conflict in the Indiana Territory, and the capture of Detroit occurred earlier in 1812.