Defenders Day is a Maryland state holiday celebrated on September 12 each year, commemorating the successful defense of the city of Baltimore from an invading British force during the War of 1812. Official language(s) None Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 42nd 32,160 km² 145 km 400 km 21 37°53N to 39°43N 75°4W to 79°33W Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 19th 5,296,486 165... The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Motto: The Greatest City in America (formerly The City That Reads; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Nickname: Charm City Mob Town B-more Location in Maryland Founded 30 July 1729 Incorporated 1797 County Independent city Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Martin J. OMalley... The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and United Kingdom from 1812 to 1815, on land in North America and at sea around the world. ...

In 1814, following the burning of Washington, a British force commanded by Admiral Robert Ross landed north of Baltimore and began an advance on the city. He was met almost immediately by a detachment from the Baltimore garrison led by American General John Stricker, commencing the Battle of North Point. The resulting halt of the larger British force allowed Baltimore to organize its defenses against a later attempted naval invasion. It was during this conflict, the Battle of Baltimore, that Fort McHenry was shelled by the British but refused to surrender, and an inspired Maryland lawyer named Francis Scott Key composed the words to what would later become "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States. 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Burning of Washington is a name given to the razing of Washington, D.C. by British Canadian forces during the War of 1812. ... The name Robert Ross is shared by several notable individuals: a British general of the early 1800s, see Robert Ross (general) an art historian (1869-1918), and friend of Oscar Wilde, see Robert Baldwin Ross an American blues vocalist and guitarist, and leader of the Robert Ross Band see Robert... The Battle of North Point, also known as the Battle of Bouldens Farm, was fought on September 12, 1814. ... In the Battle of Baltimore, one of the turning points in the War of 1812, American forces warded off a combined British land and sea invasion of the busy port city of Baltimore. ... Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland, is a star fort best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay. ... Francis Scott Key Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779–January 11, 1843) was an American lawyer and amateur poet. ... Nicholson took the copy Key gave him to a printer, where it was published as a broadside on September 17 under the title The Defence of Fort McHenry, with an explanatory note explaining the circumstances of its writing. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is formally recognized by a countrys government as their states official national song. ...

Commemorations of the day of the victory, centering on Stricker's stand north of the city, began in the years shortly after the War. During the mid-1800s, Marylanders would informally picnic on the battlefield grounds, but later celebrations involved the entire city of Baltimore, with parades and speeches. The largest celebration was held on the hundred year anniversary in 1914, which included fireworks reenacting of the shelling of Fort McHenry. Events and Trends Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815). ... Friends and family gather for a picnic in a public park in Columbus, Ohio, c. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) is a common year starting on Thursday. ...

The Great Depression of the 1930s curtailed the celebrations somewhat, and they continued to wane in popularity through World War II and the 1960s, when dissatisfaction with martial matters due to the unpopular Vietnam War were noted. It was not until the 1980s and 1990s that Defenders Day began to be widely celebrated in Maryland once again, mostly through the gaining popularity of reenactors, who brought new life to celebrations at Fort McHenry. The Great Depression was a massive global economic recession (or depression) that ran from 1929 to approximately 1939. ... // Events and trends A public speech by Benito Mussolini, founder of the Fascist movement The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the global depression. ... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths World War II, also known as the Second World War (sometimes WW2 or WWII), was a mid-20th century conflict that engulfed much of the globe and is accepted as... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the Communist World, namely the Soviet Union and Red China against the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and its allies — notably the United States military in... The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive, the last decade of the 20th Century. ... Reenactors of the American Civil War Historical reenactment is an activity in which participants recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. ...