Samuel Francis Smith wrote the lyrics to “America (My Country Tis of Thee)” in 1831 while a student at the Andover Theological Seminary in Andover Massachusetts. The church-music composer Lowell Mason, a friend had asked him to translate the lyrics to some German school songbook into English or to write new lyrics to the same tunes. The “God Save the Queen” melody in Muzie Clement’s No. 3 also called “The Great National”, written as a tribute to Clement’s adopted country caught Smith’s attention at the time; rather than translating the lyrics from the German, he wrote his own American patriotic hymn to the melody, completing the lyrics in 30 minutes. Smith gave Mason the lyrics he had written, and the song was first performed in public on July 4, 1831, at a children’s Independence Day Celebration at Park Street Church in Boston. The first publication of “America” was done in 1832. For 100 years it was our National Anthem or National Hymn until 1931 when the “Star Spangled Banner” was adopted as our official National Anthem! Let us together celebrate America and remember the good she has done across the decades! The sacrifices her people have made in two world wars across Europe to stop tyranny and help freedom to reign! In wars across Asia and the Pacific and across the Middle East to promote freedom of people in bondage to tyranny! America has done more good for the world than any nation in history! For those that hate her they are free to leave America! The joke is those that hate her do not want to leave her? Millions of migrants have rushed to our shores and borders for a good reason! They have fled their own countries for America and there is no better testimony of the greatness of America! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com