Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
- Emma Lazarus, 1883
The OriginIn 1865, a Frenchman that went by the name Édouard de Laboulaye brought up the idea of presenting a gift from the French people to the American people. (Overview + History: Statue of Liberty.) This was because he wished to celebrate the newfound peaceful relationship between the French and the Americans, and to commemorate the Declaration of Independence. (Overview + History: Statue of Liberty.) The recent abolishment of slavery also played a huge role in representing America's latest values of freedom and liberty. The Statue of Liberty was sculpted by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi. It was constructed in a way to symbolize what the Statue of Liberty stood for. (Overview + History: Statue of Liberty.) To symbolize the abolishment of slavery, there were broken chains placed at the statue's feet. The statue's tablet is carved with the date of the declaration of independence (July 4th, 1776) in Roman numerals. (Overview + History: Statue of Liberty.)
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The Voyage
In 1876, the actual making of the Statue of Liberty began. It was constructed in separate pieces, rather than all of it at once. The arm of the statue was the first part to be completed; it was finished by 1976. (U.S. Department of the Interior. ) The shoulders and head of the statue were finished by 1878, and by 1884, the whole statue was completed and assembled in France. The statue's pedestal was made in the United States, and its construction began in 1884. In order for the State of liberty to get from France to the United States, it had to cross the Atlantic ocean. (U.S. Department of the Interior. ) The statue was transported in 350 separate pieces for the duration of the trip. It finally touched American soil (New York Harbor) on June 17th, 1885. However, the pedestal was still undergoing construction, so the statue could not be put on public display yet.
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“The dream of my life is accomplished; I see the symbol of unity and friendship between two nations—two great republics.”
--Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, October 26, 1886
The Unveiling
On October 28th, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled in the United States. The island of Bedloe was surrounded by naval ships that were decorated in the color of the American flag. (U.S. Department of the Interior. ) Despite it being a rainy day, more than one million people showed up to witness the monumental event. Amongst the crowd was the sculptor of the statue, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi. (“Creating the Statue of Liberty.” )The statue was draped with the French flag, and Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi was given the honor of revealing it when the time was right. He was given a false signal, and mistakenly undraped the statue during a speech given by Senator William M. Evarts. (U.S. Department of the Interior. )This was followed by a loud reaction: cannons were fired, steam whistles were blown, and bands roared to welcome the statue to its new home. However, the presence of the statue was not favored by many. Suffragists argued that it was ironic that the statue was female when women themselves were not given a voice to vote at the time. |
Bibliography
“Creating the Statue of Liberty.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/places_creating_statue.htm
History.com Editors. “Statue of Liberty dedicated.” HISTORY, 9 February 2010, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/statue-of-liberty-dedicated. Accessed 15 March 2021.
Museum Management Program. “Liberty.” Museum Management Program,
https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/statue_liberty/opening_ceremony.html#:~:text=On%20a%20rainy%20October%2028,France%20and%20the%20United%20States. Accessed 15 March 2021
Overview + History: Statue of Liberty. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. (2020, September 1). https://www.statueofliberty.org/statue-of-liberty/overview-history/. Accessed 25 April 2021.
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). Statue of Liberty National Monument. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/statue_liberty/opening_ceremony.html. Accessed 25 April 2021.
History.com Editors. “Statue of Liberty dedicated.” HISTORY, 9 February 2010, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/statue-of-liberty-dedicated. Accessed 15 March 2021.
Museum Management Program. “Liberty.” Museum Management Program,
https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/statue_liberty/opening_ceremony.html#:~:text=On%20a%20rainy%20October%2028,France%20and%20the%20United%20States. Accessed 15 March 2021
Overview + History: Statue of Liberty. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. (2020, September 1). https://www.statueofliberty.org/statue-of-liberty/overview-history/. Accessed 25 April 2021.
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). Statue of Liberty National Monument. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/statue_liberty/opening_ceremony.html. Accessed 25 April 2021.