Any U.S. citizen who is at least 18 years old, and who meets certain requirements, can vote in Federal elections. This has not always been the case. When the United States first won its independence, there were restrictions on who could vote. In some …

The President’s U.S. Marine Band traditionally plays “Hail to the Chief” to announce the arrival of the President, who is America’s Commander in Chief. It is also played immediately after the inauguration of a new President after he or she has taken the …

The “Star-Spangled Banner” is the national anthem, or national song, of the United States. The words are from a poem that was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814. During the War of 1812, on September 13, 1814, Key watched a night-time battle between …

The words for the song “America” (My Country ‘Tis of Thee) were written by Samuel Francis Smith in 1831, but the melody is much older and has been used for songs in many countries. It was first sung in public on July 4, 1831, at a children's concert at …

The Pledge of Allegiance is a promise of loyalty to the United States. The first version of the Pledge of Allegiance was written by  Francis Bellamy in 1892. Over the years, changes were made to the Pledge. More words were added, and the pledge that we …