"The Star-Spangled Banner" serves as the National Anthem of the United States. It was penned on September 14, 1814, by amateur poet and attorney Francis Scott Key. In the lyrics, Key recounts his observations of the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British Royal Navy vessels during the Battle of Baltimore amidst the War of 1812.
When he mentions "hirelings and slaves," Key likely thought that the sailors were being poorly treated by their captains. Furthermore, many British soldiers were coerced into combat.
