Statue of Liberty

Background

The Statue of Liberty was actually a gift to the USA from France. France announced in 1875 that it was going to build this statue. So work on the statue began in 1875 and it was completed in pieces.

First, the torch and the hand holding the torch were built. These were sent to the USA where they were displayed at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876.

Next, the head of the statue was built and completed by 1878. It took the next few years to build and complete the rest of the statue. By 1885, the Statue of Liberty had been completely built.

So France sent all the pieces of the statue to the USA the same year. Once in the USA, work on the assembling together of the statue began in April 1886. By October 28, 1886, the whole statue had been assembled and completed.

The Symbolism of the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty represents the Roman Goddes Libertas She is seen as holding a torch which is a symbol of enlightenment.

In her other hand, she holds a tablet that represents the law. The statue also has broken chains at her feet which symbolized the end of all tyranny.

The crown on the head of the statue has seven rays. These represent the seven continents of the world and the seven seas, symbolizing that liberty is meant for the whole world.

Height of the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is about 151 feet tall. She is placed on top of a special pedestal to raise her to a prominent height.

This pedestal and its foundation, altogether, are about 155 feet high. So altogether, the head of the Statue of Liberty is at a height of 305 feet from the ground.

Famous People who worked on the Statue of Liberty

Edouard de Laboulaye was the first person to come up with the idea of the Statue of Liberty.

He was an anti-slavery activist in France who thought of the statue as a way of symbolizing freedom and liberty. He shared his idea with Frederic Bartholdi, a French sculptor.

Bartholdi liked the idea and started working on it. Not only did Bartholdi design and create the whole statue, but he also picked the appropriate site for the statue at the New York Harbor.

Once the statue was complete, it was shipped to the USA. Here, the civil engineer Gustav Eiffel of ‘The Eiffel Tower Fame’ came up with an innovative to erect the statue at New York Harbour. Thanks to his method, the statue stands stable to this day.

Interesting Facts about the Statue of Liberty

Learn More about the Statue of Liberty at Wikipedia

Learn about Liberty Island the Site of the Statue of Liberty

The Story of the Statue of Liberty (Rise and Shine) Paperback – May 26, 1989