the keel is the part of the ship that provides stability. what is whitman referring to with the phrase the steady keel

The idea of freedom that the United States stands for

Explanation:

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The keen is a part of the boat that is used to support the boat, as in the poem the keen is used as a symbol of a strong nation.

Explanation:

The first use of the keel represents stability that the boat needs to have on the water. The other use of keel is as a synecdoche.

In Witman's poem, the steady keel is a symbol of a strong and stable nation, that although has to pass many obstacles it maintains itself strong. It represents the whole boat that carries the nation on its deck.