Final answer:
Mary Pickersgill, assisted by her daughter, two nieces, and an African American indentured servant, was commissioned to sew the two flags for Fort McHenry, which inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner" after the British bombardment during the War of 1812.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two large flags flown over Fort McHenry, which would later inspire Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner", were sewn by Mary Pickersgill, a flag maker in Baltimore. She was commissioned by Major George Armistead, the commander of Fort McHenry, to create a flag so large that "the British would have no difficulty seeing it from a distance". Pickersgill and her daughter, two nieces, and an African American indentured servant worked on sewing the flag, which measured an immense 30 by 42 feet.
The bombardment of Fort McHenry by British forces under the command of Admiral Alexander Cochrane during the War of 1812 was a pivotal event for the United States. Despite a relentless 25-hour assault, the fort did not fall to the British, and the sight of the colossal American flag still waving after the attack moved Key to pen his famous poem. This poem, entitled "In Defence of Fort McHenry," was later set to music and became the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".
Mary Pickersgill's role in sewing the flag that would become a prominent symbol of American resilience and patriotism endures as a notable point in U.S. history, reflecting the fortitude of the nation during a time of war and strife.