The Statue of Liberty
For over a century, millions of people travel by ship to America, whether as tourists or immigrants, and have the opportunity to glance at the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty plays a significant role in the history of The United States Of America, and no other monument embodies the nation’s political and economic freedom throughout the world. The Statue of Liberty is one of the most loved and recognized symbols of The United States of America. “More than half a century ago, the torch of the Statue of Liberty was raised in New York Harbor, an inspiration to guide the free men of the world” (Gilder, 1943). Auguste Bartholdi created a large scale work of The Statue of Liberty that was given as a gift from the French to the United States. The Statue of Liberty has quite a number of facts that contributes to its importance, for example, its history, symbolism, structure, construction, and its role in modern society.
The Statue of Liberty National Monument has been in New York Harbor for almost 120 years. In 1865, the idea of a gift from the French to the United States was to honor its friendship during the American Revolution (Hayden & Despont, 1986). The inspiration of the Statue of Liberty came from Edouard de Laboulaye, which later introduced Auguste Bartholdi to create a large scale work of The Statue of Liberty before it’s construction. Auguste Bartholdi required the assistance of an engineer to address structural issues associated with designing the copper sculpture. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the designer of the Eiffel Tower, designed the massive iron pylon and secondary skeletal framework that allows the statue's copper skin to stand straight and have the ability to move around (The Statue of Liberty- Ellis Island Foundation Inc, 2008). After nine years, the statue was completed in Paris in 1884, and presented to America on July 4th. In order to transport The Statue of Liberty to New York, the statue was taken apart into 300 pieces of copper and iron, and packed into 214 wooden crates. The statue was officially called Liberty Enlightening the World and opened to the public by President Grover Cleveland on October 28, 1886. Furthermore, most of the statue’s history was and remains a mystery.
The construction of Lady Liberty was quite difficult since because of financial difficulties. The United States contributed by fundraising for the construction of the pedestal and a committee called the French American Union was formed to raise money for The Statue of Liberty. French sponsors raised an estimate of $250,000, through contributions from citizens, and events (Wright, 2008). The article, “The 1986 Statue of Liberty Centennial: “Commercialization” and Reaganism” by Kathy Evertz, demonstrates fundraising advertisements during the 1986 Statue of Liberty centennial celebration in New York City. For instance, Save the Dream encourages funds for the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation in an advertisement. The message it was trying to imply was if the reader of the advertisement failed to donate, Liberty for our nation wouldn’t exist. Financing for the pedestal of the statue was completed in August, 1885, and the construction of the pedestal was finished in April of 1886. The Statue was placed on a granite pedestal inside a fort called Fort Wood, which is now called Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The height of the statue measures 151 ft, the height of the pedestal measures 89ft, and the statue weighs about 225 tons (Wright, 2008).
Ellis Island became a part of Statue of Liberty National Monument, the island where millions of immigrants passed through hoping to achieve the “American Dream”. “For the 17 million immigrants who passed her as they made their way through Ellis Island, she was and remains most special” (Hayden & Despont, 1986). Lady Liberty was the first vision of America for many immigrants, after long and exhausting journeys by ship. Also, Ellis Island was the former United States Immigration Station through which approximately 12 million immigrants passed on their way to a new life in America (Wright, 2008). It was not until 1890, where the federal government took over the immigration service, and Ellis Island was where the main receiving station would be located, and an immigration station opened in 1892. Most importantly, the government realized the islands historic importance after several years, and in 1965 Ellis Island became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. The Statue of Liberty National Monument contains important and factual museums. For instance, the Torch Exhibit demonstrates the original torch of the statue after it was damaged in an explosion, Statue of Liberty Exhibit explains the construction and impact of the statue, and Ellis Island provides a museum with facts about immigration.
The Statue of Liberty is one of the greatest and most valuable symbols of the United States of America. The Statue of Liberty is an external symbol of hope that held the promises and dreams of many immigrants entering America. This vision has been passed down from generation to generation and the statue’s spirit has gone beyond the harbor. The most beautiful aspect about The Statue of Liberty is that she represents freedom and democracy in America. In addition, she represents a comforting mother figure, and a symbol of human aspiration (Hayden & Despont, 1986). She has become a universal symbol that is a common image to everyone around the world. “The Statue of Liberty is a monumental sculpture, portraying a woman escaping the chains of tyranny, which lie at her feet” (Oracle Education Foundation, 2011). Most importantly, the parts on the statue portray different meanings to the people of America. For instance, the flaming torch represents liberty; the left hand contains a tablet with the date the United States declared its independence, July 4th, 1776, which is engraved in roman numerals, and the seven rays of her crown symbolize the seven seas and continents.
The Statue of Liberty is and will continue to be one the most recognizable and well-known women in the world. Lady Liberty represents America, especially New York, where she represents dreams of hope and democracy. The statue is one of New York’s most popular tourist attractions, and has captivated travelers from around the globe. The Statue of Liberty represents a symbol of freedom and friendship through rough circumstances, for instance The American Revolution. Also, the statue is what welcomed most of our immigrants to America, where they desperately dreamed to arrive to the “land of freedom”. Lady Liberty is over 100 years old and she continues to be the most recognized monument in the hearts of New Yorkers, and people around the world. The Statue of Liberty makes every New Yorker proud to be an American.
References
Evertz, K. (1995). The 186 Statue of Liberty Centennial: “Commercialization” and
Reaganism. Journal of Popular Culture, 29(3), 203-224
Gilder, R. (1943). Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World. New York: The New York
Trust Company
Hayden, S. R., Despont, W. T. (1986). Restoring the Statue of Liberty. New York: The
Kingsport Press
Oracle Education Foundation. (2011). The Symbolism of the Statue of Liberty. Retrieved
September 21, 2011, from http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Stsym.html
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. (2008). History of the Statue of Liberty.
Wright, P. C. (2008). Blue Guide New York. New York: Blue Guides Limited
