BOSTON (AP) — Thousands of sailors aboard naval ships from around the world are gathering in Boston to mark the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner, an event that coincides with this year’s Boston Harborfest, a Fourth of July festival showcasing the city’s maritime and colonial heritage.

The War of 1812 marked the first time that the United States was threatened on its own soil. The conflict inspired Francis Scott Key to write the first edition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”