The History of The Statue of Liberty

she is a symbol for freedom and one of
the most recognized figures in the
United States welcome to watchmojo.com
and today we’ll be learning more about
the Statue of Liberty we are the keepers
of the flame of Liberty we hold it high
tonight for the world to see a beacon of
hope a light under the nation’s located
in New York Harbor the Statue of Liberty
is a depiction of the Roman goddess of
freedom dedicated in a large ceremony on
October 28 1886 the statues official
name is Liberty enlightening the world
originally a gift from the citizens of
France she was designed by French
sculptor Frederic Bartholdi law
professor aguar Rene de laboulaye is
credited with the idea of a shared
statue between the French and the
Americans the statue was meant to
commemorate the u.s. centennial and the
ideals that both France and the United
States shared of freedom and democracy
however only her right hand and torch
were finished by 1876 and both were
displayed at the American Centennial
Exhibition Lady Liberty as she is often
called is represented wrapped in robes
in her right hand she carries a torch
meant to symbolize the light of reason
her left hand is carrying a book of laws
that is marked with the date the
Declaration of Independence was signed
from the base of the statue to the top
of the torch she measures 151 feet in
height that height is doubled by the
pedestal on which she stands built on an
iron support structure the Statue of
Liberty’s skin is made of copper
originally the color of copper by 1900
the statues exterior had begun to change
color eventually the decision was made
to leave this patina on the statue and
today she is the pale green color we
know and love
the statues armature was designed by the
same man who designed France’s Eiffel
Tower at eggs on Gustave FL a joint
effort of the French Americans and
countless hard workers the statue was to
be built in France and shipped by boat
to America in the years before the
statue was built criticism was raised
that she should be designed by an
American artist that and the fact that
it took many years to raise sufficient
American funds to build Lady Liberty’s
pedestal stalled the project’s progress
for many years however she was presented
to the Americans on Independence Day in
1884 was finally shipped early the next
year
and was ultimately opened in New York
Harbor in 1886 many new Americans
immigrating to the country by boat were
welcomed by the Statue of Liberty upon
their arrival this helped lead to her
status as a symbol for the country
a poem inscribed on her base bears the
famous lines give me your tired your
poor your huddled masses yearning to
breathe free and welcomed settlers to
the new world
tourists were originally open to travel
up to Lady Liberty’s crown to view the
harbor below as well as making a narrow
climb up to the torch
however the torch has been closed to
visitors since the First World War in
preparation for the Statue centennial in
1986 a series of restorations took place
Lady Liberty’s armature was completely
replaced making her more sturdy and
several pieces of her skin were also
changed after 2001 s terrorist attacks
in New York City Statue of Liberty and
Liberty Island were closed to tourists
because of safety concerns gradually the
island the pedestal and finally in 2009
the statue herself were reopened to the
public because of Lady Liberty status as
an American icon she is often featured
in pop culture and on tourist souvenirs
she is not threatening and not a symbol
of power and considered a beacon of hope
Lady Liberty has witnessed well over a
centuries worth of history and has come
to embody the American ideal of freedom
with joy and celebration and with a
prayer that this lamp shall never be
extinguished I ask that you all join me
in this symbolic act of faith this
lighting of Miss Liberty’s torch