On October 28, 1886, a 240-foot tall structure originally named “Liberty Enlightening the World” was revealed to an audience on Ellis Island in New York. This was the tallest structure in New York City, and it is still a great symbol in America today.1 Who would have known that a French sculptor and a French scholar would want to commemorate America for being a free nation for 100 years. These two individuals go by the names Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and Edouard-Rene Laboulaye.2 These two men met and created a sketch for the statue and wanted it to be a symbol of a “freedom-loving republic, a government in which power lay in the hands of the people, instead of a king.”3 The statue would also symbolize the alliance between France and America that began during the American War of Independence against Britain. There is a misconception that the statue was built to represent a welcoming icon for immigrants; however, this was not the initial purpose of the statue.4 France built the Statue of Liberty beginning in 1875. It was made out of 450,000 pounds of copper and steel. It was agreed by both nations that America was to be in charge of the pedestal, which weighed 27,000 tons, for the statue to rest on.5
In the construction of the statue, Bartholdi had used three hundred copper sheets to cover the entire statue. The reason why the statue appears to be green is due to its long exposure to the atmosphere over time. Something interesting is that the features of the statue’s face resemble those of Bartholdi’s mother and the arms resemble those of his wife. The Statue of Liberty is also presented wearing a long robe, which was influenced by ancient Greek and Rome attire. The purpose of this was to serve as a reminder of the ideals of that ancient era.6
The statue is carrying a tablet in her left hand with the year “1776” written on it, which is the year that Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. The significance behind this is to serve as a reminder that “all men are created equal.” It also reinforces the idea that if the government fails to abide by the natural rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” then the citizens have the right to establish a new government by overthrowing the current one. This tablet also serves as a religious reminder of the Ten Commandments that Moses received when God revealed himself to him on Mount Sinai. The torch that is held in Liberty’s right hand symbolizes the light that the United States carries for the entire world. This suggests that nations should follow America’s political system, according to the French architects. She is also wearing a crown with sun rays beaming from it called a “diadem.” This refers to the ancient sun god, Helios.7
In 1884, the entire statue was done being constructed in France; however, due to its large size, it was packed into two hundred cases to be transported to New York.8 The place where the statue was assembled was Ellis Island. The statue is known as the “centerpiece of a magical American place,” since her popularity will grow through being imaged in magazines, newspapers, postcards, among other things.9 One issue with building the statue was the funding for the statue’s pedestal, since the U.S. government was not willing to pay for the construction of it. One way this was done was by fundraising and donations from various contributors, such as Joseph Pulitzer and Emma Lazarus. Pulitzer published in the New York World newspaper asking for donations for this statue. Lazarus wrote a poem at a fund-raising auction to help the funding of the statue’s pedestal.10
The unveiling of the statue was on a foggy, raining day on October 28, 1886. Millions of people witnessed this revelation and took part in a parade held in Manhattan. The President at the time was Grover Cleveland. He gave a speech at the ceremony about freedom and America’s democracy. However, immigration was not mentioned in this speech. The Statue of Liberty was the first major icon that immigrants would see as they came to America. The Statue of Liberty is an important icon in American history and is still a valued symbol today. The story behind its development and upbringing involved the interaction between France and the U.S. The purpose of the construction of this statue is to recognize America’s political system, its dependence on the ideals of freedom, and how America serves as a symbol of hope and a new start for immigrants.11
- Dictionary of American History, 2003, s.v. “Statue of Liberty,” by John Higham. ↵
- UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History, 2009, s.v. “Statue of Liberty,” by Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca Valentine. ↵
- James L. Outman, Statue of Liberty In U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library (Detroit: UXL, 2004), 364. ↵
- James L. Outman, Statue of Liberty In U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library (Detroit: UXL, 2004), 364-365. ↵
- Dictionary of American History, 2003, s.v. “Statue of Liberty,” by John Higham. ↵
- James L. Outman, Statue of Liberty In U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library (Detroit: UXL, 2004), 366-367. ↵
- James L. Outman, Statue of Liberty In U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library (Detroit: UXL, 2004), 368-369. ↵
- James L. Outman, Statue of Liberty In U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library (Detroit: UXL, 2004), 369. ↵
- Dictionary of American History, 2003, s.v. “Statue of Liberty,” by John Higham. ↵
- James L. Outman, Statue of Liberty In U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library (Detroit: UXL, 2004), 365-370. ↵
- James L. Outman, Statue of Liberty In U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library (Detroit: UXL, 2004), 370-374. ↵
93 comments
Robert Rodriguez
This article was very informative about the statue of liberty, I’ve actually have had the chance to see the Statue of liberty unclose but I was not aware of most of these facts like the people that sketched the design of it. I like how the Greeks and Romans helped influence this symbol of our nation. its crazy to think that it came from France because of its large size and the amount of copper used for it. I wish I was able to see the revealing of it back in 1886, I bet it was an amazing experience.
Isaac Rodriguez
I had known little about the Statue of Liberty prior to the article. I find it interesting that there are details, and symbols that are often unnoticed. For example, I wasn’t aware that the statue was holding the declaration of independence, nor did I know the meaning behind the robe, and torch. I was also surprised by the amount of copper used, and the weight of the statue.
Anna Guaderrama
While reading this, I actually thought it was pretty cool to learn about how the face and arms of the statue of liberty resemble those of Bartholdi’s mother and wife. And it was interesting to see the Roman and Greek influences that were incorporated into the statue. Also, I never knew that the tablet she has in her arms has the year 1776. Overall, I just found this article super interesting because I learned so much that I had never known about before.
Arianna Kennet
I have not seen the Statue of Liberty in person but I would definitely love to, and this article has helped give me more insight and history of this statue. I did not know that this statue was built to symbolize the alliance between France and America. I also like how the features of the statue’s face resemble those of Bartholdi’s mother and the arms resemble those of his wife, what an interesting concept.
Destiny Flores
America is known for its reputation of having the opportunity of the “American Dream”. And that is what so many immigrants were trying to achieve, and many still are. The statue of Liberty stands as one of the most iconic images of the States and I love what it represents. Not only for immigrants but as a symbol of friendship since the statue was gifted to us.
Rebekah Esquivel
Very great article with great descriptions. This article helped to show the symbol of freedom for many and a very important monument in history. This statue does not only represent freedom for America but for the people that at travel to live in the United States. I have personally seen the Statue of Liberty and the original model that is now in France as well. It is so cool how the original model in France is so tiny but still has so much detail. I don’t know how they were able to transfer the Statue of Liberty over to New York it is so big and you can see it from almost everywhere in New York. Thank you for this article.
Michelle Falcon
This was a very informative article. I never really knew much about the Statue of Liberty besides the fact that its in New York. Information such how everything about her has a meaning, starting with her crown, to the way she is dressed, to even the fetchers of her face. I also never knew that the U.S. had to fund raise for the pedestal of the statue. Overall this as a very good article.
Crystalrose Quintero
It was interesting that the author indicated the original title of the statue of liberty was the liberty enlightening the world. I appreciated that the author provided clarification on what the statue originally represented. Its a intriguing technique to pose what the readers. May have thought before reading this article and then provide what the actual answer is to they previous misconceptions.
Christine Sackey
Great job! I liked how the writer wrote went through the symbolic meaning behind the statues. It is interesting to know that it was created in France and shipped here. I do think that the Statue of Liberty is a very significant statue that represents America. For instance how the writer wrote about how the torch represents the light that shines from America. Overall it is a powerful statue.
Ashley Tumlinson
This article is very well written, and quite intriguing to say the least. I think you structured it perfectly – taking the reader through a journey over time, describing in-depth all the great details of Lady Liberty! This article was definitely an eye opener for me because I had no idea how much work actually went into it, I mean I knew it didn’t just appear over night – but you did a great job at providing excellent factual evidence in a manner that kept me, as the reader, interested! Great job!