The Battle Hymn of the Republic

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The Battle Hymn of the Republic is a famous American Civil War–era patriotic song that blends religious imagery with a call for justice and national resolve.


Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf American song
Civil War song
patriotic song
associatedWith Union Army
associatedWithIdeology American patriotism
Unionism
associatedWithMovement American civil rights movement
abolitionist movement
author Julia Ward Howe
basedOn camp-meeting hymn “Say, Brothers, Will You Meet Us”
chorusIncludesWord hallelujah
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: "United States"
culturalSignificance unofficial national hymn of the United States
firstPublicationPlace Boston, Massachusetts
surface form: "Boston"
firstPublishedIn The Atlantic Monthly
firstPublishedInYear 1862
genre hymn
march
patriotic music
hasAlternativeTitle Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory
hasReligiousAllusionsTo Bible
Book of Revelation
hasVerseCount 5 (commonly sung verses, with variants)
includedIn many American hymnals
influenced later American patriotic songs
language English
lyricist Julia Ward Howe
lyricsWrittenInYear 1861
meter 6/8 time
notablePerformanceBy U.S. military bands
choirs at presidential funerals
openingLine Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
performedAt funeral of Robert F. Kennedy
state occasions in the United States
recognizedAs symbol of moral crusade in American culture
refrain Glory, glory, hallelujah
setToMelodyOf John Brown’s Body
subject American Civil War
theme abolitionism
divine justice
national resolve
religious imagery
typicalInstrumentation chorus and orchestra
military band
voice and piano
usedBy church congregations
patriotic organizations
usedDuringConflict American Civil War

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Julia Ward Howe authorOf The Battle Hymn of the Republic
Julia Ward Howe lyricsBy The Battle Hymn of the Republic
Julia Ward Howe notableWork The Battle Hymn of the Republic