[General] What is: "crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea"?

[Antonia123]

Hi!

This is taken from the song "America the Beautiful". Could you help me understand the last two lines?

"O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea"

Thank you very much in advance.

 

[Skrej]

Here 'crown' is used as a verb meaning to be the final triumphant act that finishes a long effort. So the final event to 'crown' the goodness of the country should be to maintain an attitude of brotherhood - i.e. treat everyone like a brother.

'From sea to shining sea' refers to the fact that the United States encompasses a geographic area which stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.

 

[Raymott]

... which stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.

Or vice versa, if looked at historically.

 

[BobK]

... in fact, might that explain the position of the adjective? The Atlantic can be pretty gloomy. [!]

b