If someone were to ask you to name three things that symbolize America, what would you say? People surveyed within Greenwood said freedom, the bald eagle, sports, the American flag, the people, and presidents. Surprisingly enough, the Statue of Liberty was never mentioned.
Appearing in movies such as Titanic, Plant of the Apes, and Ghostbusters 2; the Statue of Liberty, is an icon not only of New York City, but America as a whole. Standing at three hundred five feet and six inches tall (including the pedestal), the statue is the first thing people see when entering the New York Harbor, due its location on Liberty Island, formerly Bedloe’s Island.
The Statue of Liberty was created by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, originally for the U.S. Centennial. It was made in memory of the friendship between America and France, and expresses the shared values of both countries.
Construction of the statue began in 1875, but before the actual construction several smaller models had to be made. First a clay version, then a plaster one roughly the size of a person, and finally a plaster sculpture one fourth the size of the final statue. Each version became more and more detailed. It was then broken down into pieces and a full sized plaster piece was made. To make the metal statue, Bartholdi and his co creator, Édouard de Laboulaye, used a technique called repoussé. Repoussé is when wooden boards are placed against the plaster mold. Thin copper sheets, slightly thinner than two pennies stacked on top of each, are then placed on top and hammered into shape. Iron straps are added to the backs to support the structure.
There was only one problem with the whole design. The statue couldn’t support its own weight. So Bartholdi and Laboulaye brought Gustave Eiffel on to the project, the future creator of the Eiffel Tower. His solution was to create a metal skeleton that was attached to the copper shell with metal supports. This gave Lady Liberty the ability to stand and survive in the windy conditions of the New York Harbor.
Even though the Statue of Liberty was supposed to be done for the U.S. Centennial, it wasn’t completed until ten years later. Only the torch was completed in time. The main cause of this delay was a lack of funding. While France was struggling to raise funds, the States were doing worse. The displaying of the torch helped, but the main seller was an article in the New York World. It promised that anyone who donated would be put in the paper. This was a major hit and helped raise the necessary funds.
Finally, on October 28, 1886 President Grover Cleveland dedicated Liberty Enlightening the World, the statue’s true name. Not everyone was excited about the unveiling. A group of women rented a boat to protest during the dedication. The Statue of Liberty was a symbol of freedom in a country that didn’t allow women to vote.
As the years passed, the Statue of Liberty grew into the icon it is today. From a shaky beginning, it’s now a symbol of freedom to many. The original statue still stands; the only thing that’s ever been replaced is the torch. The original torch sits in the Statue of Liberty museum.
All Information From: “The Dedication of the Statue of Liberty” History Daily, National Park Service, The Making of an Icon, What’s Inside the Statue of Liberty by Jared Owen, Raising the Torch, The History of The Statue of Liberty by Watchmojo.com.
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