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"Johnny's Gone for a Soldier," adaptation of Irish folk tune, popular during the American revolution -
First patriotic war song by a native American: Chester, words & music by William Billings. The tune was first written by Billings in 1770 and five stanzas were written in 1778. A new text (not by Billings) was added in 1786 and was sung for many years by the Old Stoughton Musical Society. It has been recorded. -
"The Grand Constitution", a ballad written about the U.S. Constitution is set to the English tune, "Heart of Oak." This ballad was performed in 1987 for the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution and also the Stoughton Musical Society's Constitution written in October of 1787, just two weeks after the U.S. Constitution. It is now the oldest constitution of any musical organization in the United States. -
Songs written in tribute to George Washington's Inauguration as First US President, including an "Ode to the President of the United States (words by Samuel Low) and set to the English tune, "God Save the King." -
"The Battle of Trenton" by James Hewitt, dedicated to George Washington and includes "Washington's March" and "Yankee Doodle." -
Francis Scott Key writes poem The Defense of Fort McHenry, which appears in The Baltimore Patriot newspaper -
Key puts The Defense of Fort McHenry to music of popular British song, To Anacreon in Heaven, and publishes "The Star-Spangled Banner" -
Philharmonic Society of New York founded, nation's oldest symphony orchestra -
Col. Sandford C. Faulkner believed to write music and words to The Arkansas Traveler, song (and also a play) about a country fiddler, popular in Ohio River Valley -
Stephen Foster writes "Old Folks at Home" for a minstrel show