Narrator Listen to a part of a talk in a history lecture. Why was Key on board a British ship?

[Professor]
    Let’s continue our discussion of early American history, moving on from the War of Independence. The war we’re going to talk about today had nowhere near the impact of that war, but it did produce one of the most celebrated expressions of patriotic fervor in our entire history: our national anthem.
    With the possible exception of George W. Bush’s Iraq war of 2003, the war of 1812 was the most strongly opposed war in America’s history. In fact, Francis Scott Key, who ended up composing "The Star Spangled Banner" was among those who originally advocated negotiations rather than war. On the other hand, many people were fed up with Britain’s outrageous interference with American trans-Atlantic trade. You remember, um, that Britain and France were battling for global domination? Well, the British wanted to prevent American goods from reaching France. Eventually the hawks won out and war declared.
    As soon as hostilities began, it was clear that America was the underdog. David Hickey says, [Pause] "The American army was understaffed, poorly equipped and led by incompetent officers." The British? Well, they have had the most powerful navy on Earth. On the evening of August 24, 1814, British troops landed in Washington. They torched the Capitol, the Treasury, and the President’s house. At that moment, even the most, uh, hawkish members of government may have been regretting their decision.
    After their success in Washington, the British confidently turned on Baltimore. At the time of that attack, Francis Scott Key was on board a British ship. He had been detained there after negotiating the release of an American doctor, William Beanes. Although Key had uh... persuaded the British commander to release the doctor, they could not return to land right away. They had to remain on the British ship for the duration of the battle.
    The bombardment of the fort in Baltimore was devastating. Key wrote in a letter:...um..."It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone." Sounds horrific, doesn’t it? He couldn’t see much of what was going on although he watched all night from the British ship where he was being held. He saw the..."red glare" of Britain’s gunpowder-propelled rockets. He was alarmed by the sounds of British "bombs bursting in air". It seemed impossible that American resistance could withstand such a pounding. Now, can you imagine the relief he must have felt when he saw the Stars and Stripes, not Britain’s Union Jack, fluttering over the fort in the morning? That sense of relief inspired our national anthem. Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner" right then and there, on the back of a letter he pulled from his pocket!
    Britain conceded. Key and his companions, including Dr. Beanes were released. The next day, Key’s poem was printed for public distribution and set to the music of an English drinking song. By the end of the week, "The Star-Spangled Banner" was in newspapers across the nation.
    So, what did America actually get out of this war? Well, not much, urn, if you look at it only in terms of territorial gain. However, there were beneficial consequences. Internationally, America gained prestige as a foe to be reckoned with. At home, the defense of Baltimore gave an enormous boost to rational self-esteem. You might say that people felt more uh..."American" and were able to set aside some of the political rivalries that had divided the young nation since its founding. Unfortunately, this unified spirit didn’t test long. As you’ll see... next week we’ll discuss the build up to the Civil War.
Narrator  Now get ready to answer some questions. You may use your notes to help you answer.
23. What is the talk mainly about?
24. How does the professor support his statement that "America was the underdog" in the war?
25. Why was Key on board a British ship?
26. Based on the professor’s talk, what did the Americans get from the war?
Narrator  Listen again to a part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
[Professor] As soon as hostilities began, it was clear that America was the underdog. David Hickey says, [Pause] "The American army was understaffed, poorly equipped and led by incompetent officers." The British? Well, they have had the most powerful navy on Earth.
27. Why does the professor say thisΩ?
Narrator  Listen again to a part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
[Professor] Now, can you imagine the relief he must have felt when he saw the Stars and Stripes, not Britain’s Union Jack, fluttering over the fort in the morning? That sense of relief inspired our national anthem.
28. Why does the professor say thisΩ?