The Statue of Liberty

The answers to the following questions represent the most important information concerning the Statue of Liberty. They provide for the basic knowledge about Lady Liberty! You can find out all these, and even more, by simply reading this short piece of work.

WHAT

(What is the Statue of Liberty?)

(What is it made of?)

(What famous inscription is located on the Statue of Liberty?)

WHEN (When was the Statue of Liberty given to the United States?

WHERE (In what state and where at in that state is the Statue of Liberty located?)

WHO (Who gave the Statue of Liberty to the United States?)

WHY (Why was it given to the United States?)

________________________________________

Brief description

Located in New York, at 151 feet (46 meters) tall (305 feet including base and pedestal), the Statue of Liberty symbolizes freedom throughout the world. Its formal name is Liberty Enlightening the World. The Statue was actually a gift from the people of France. It was dedicated on October 28, 1886, and President Grover Cleveland accepted the statue on behalf of the American people.

The statue, made of copper sheets with an iron framework, depicts a woman escaping the chains of tyranny, which lie at her feet. Her right hand holds aloft a burning torch that represents liberty. Her left hand holds a tablet inscribed with the date "July 4, 1776" (in Roman numerals), the day the United States declared its independence from England. She is wearing flowing robes and the seven rays of her spiked crown symbolize the seven seas and continents.

The base of the statue contains a passage written by Emma Lazarus: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

________________________________________

The Statue of Liberty

- National Monument-

What is the tallest gift received by the United States? Located in New York Harbor, the 152-foot Statue of Liberty was a gift of international friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States. An inspiration to millions of immigrants, this statue is a universal symbol of freedom, democracy, and diplomacy. The relationship between the United States and France began during America's quest for independence from Great Britain in 1776. Benjamin Franklin was among those who served on the diplomatic front during the Revolutionary War. By living in Paris as the American ambassador, Benjamin cultivated a relationship with the French government and the French people. As a result, French soldiers fought alongside the American colonists. Paris was the site for peace negotiations between the United States and Great Britain at the end of the war. In 1865, Edouard de Laboulaye of France developed the idea of creating a giant statue to honor the friendship and the commitment to liberty between France and the United States, and in 1871, Bartholodi was commissioned to sculpt the goddess Liberty.Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholodi was commissioned to design a sculpture with the year 1876 in mind for completion, to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence. The Statue was a joint effort between America and France and it was agreed upon that the American people were to build the pedestal, and the French people were responsible for the Statue and its assembly here in the United States. However, lack of funds was a problem on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In France, public fees, various forms of entertainment, and a lottery were among the methods used to raise funds. In the United States, benefit theatrical events, art exhibitions, auctions and prize fights assisted in providing needed funds. Meanwhile in France, Bartholodi required the assistance of an engineer to address structural issues associated with designing such as colossal copper sculpture. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (designer of the Eiffel Tower) was commissioned to design the massive iron pylon and secondary skeletal framework which allows the Statue's copper skin to move independently yet stand up right. Back in America, fund raising for the pedestal was going particularly slowly, so Joseph Pulitzer (noted for the Pulitzer Prize) opened up the editorial pages of his newspaper, "The World" to support the fund raising effort. Pulitzer used his newspaper to criticize both the rich who had failed to finance the pedestal construction and the middle class who were content to rely upon the wealthy to provide the funds. Pulitzer's campaign of harsh criticism was successful in motivating the people of America to donate.