who wrote america the beautiful

The lyrics of "America the Beautiful" were written by Katharine Lee Bates, an American poet, author, and educator. The song's music was composed by Samuel A. Ward, an American composer. Bates was inspired to write the poem that became "America the Beautiful" during a trip to Colorado in 1893, particularly at the summit of Pikes Peak, where she was moved by the expansive and beautiful American landscape she saw. The poem was first published in 1895 and later set to music, becoming one of the United States' best-known patriotic songs.