Free Essay

Statue of Liberty

In:

Submitted By robinn
Words 509
Pages 3
The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World; French: La Liberté éclairant le monde) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in the middle of New York Harbor, in Manhattan, New York City. The statue, designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886, was a gift to the United States from the people of France. The statue is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue is an icon of freedom and of the United States: a welcoming signal to immigrants arriving from abroad.
The statue is situated in Upper New York Bay on Liberty Island, south of Ellis Island. Both islands were ceded by New York to the federal government in 1800.[149] As agreed in an 1834 compact between New York and New Jersey that set the state border at the bay's midpoint, the original islands remain New York territory despite their location on the New Jersey side of the state line. Land created by reclamation at Ellis is New Jersey territory.[150]
A universal symbol of freedom and democracy, the Statue of Liberty also celebrates the international friendship of the United States and France. It was given to us as a gift from France. Built to commerate an alliance during the American Revolution, the Statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and designated as a National Monument in 1924. We could not have suceeded as well as we did in the Revolution without the aid of our French allies.
The Statue of Liberty represents many things, among them friendship between nations and freedom from oppression. Before air travel, ships would sail into New York Harbor and Lady Liberty would welcome their passengers, many of them being immigrants traveling to the United States for the first time. Lady Liberty is one of the first sites when sailing into the harbor, and she is symbolic of freedom.
Historically, the Statue of Liberty is important because she was given to the U.S. by France to celebrate America's first 100 years as a nation. It commemorates the alliance between France and the U.S. during the Revolutionary War.
Lady Liberty's classic stature, face, and attire come from the Roman goddess Libertas, who also represents freedom from tyranny and oppression. The crown is reminiscent of a halo and its spikes show similarities to those of the sun gods--the Roman Apollo, and the Greek Helios. Her right foot is raised as if she is continually on the move, forever bringing freedom to others.
Lady carries enlightenment to the world with the forever-lit torch (Liberty's original name was Liberty Enlightening the World). Along with tools, the ability to create fire is one of the skills that led to civilization as we know it. Fire is symbolic of knowledge and brings light to the people.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Statue of Liberty

...Today I watch a movie called “statue of liberty”. It is a greatest movie I ever see because it is significant and symbolization. Out of all America’s symbols, none has proved more enduring or evocative than the statue of liberty. Statue of liberty, torch in right hand and clutching a stone tablet in the left hand, has for a century acted as a figurehead for the American dream. It reminds that U.S.A is a land of immigrants. Many people have different view of the word “liberty”. This word is come from French. It is also mean a lot to each American. It symbolizes U.S. is a freedom country. After building the base of statue, the fund is not enough to build the statue from bottom to top. The government is thinking about how to solve this problem. Suddenly, a news paper has post a article about donation to the statue of liberty. After that news paper come out, there are a huge number of people donate for the statue of liberty. This represent that people believe in the statue of liberty and they think the statue will bless them. Because the contribution is huge, the statue of liberty eventually finished to build. Many citizen are exciting about go up to the top of the statue and get a nice view from there. Then the government decides to open the statue of liberty as a landscaped area. There is long line every day since the statue of liberty is open for...

Words: 255 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Statue of Liberty

...Exiles She is the most recognizable woman in the world, but what is the significance of the sexuality of the Statue of Liberty? Most people have little to no knowledge over why this monumental statue is a woman. It has been debated over the years about her true significance. Some believe it was just choice and that she’s just a 152 foot tall, green woman in a robe, with a torch in one hand, book in the other. The truth, the representation of the statue of liberty portrayed as a woman has everything to do with her sexuality, it was not just a coincidence. She was designed and sculpted by the French freeman, Auguste Bartholdi in 1878. It took him and his crew a long 9 years of building until it was finally completed in 1884. It was believed that he had a vision of a “magnificent” goddess with a torch in one hand welcoming visitors to the “land of freedom and opportunity” (Bond). Therefore, as you would guess, he constructed a goddess. Specifically, Libertas meaning “liberty” (“The Statue of Liberty and Statue”), derived from ancient Rome. Her role, to stand for freedom of slavery, oppression and tyranny. Surprisingly, her posture wasn’t based off of the goddess, but on what the Colossus was thought to look like before the earthquake destroyed it in the nineteenth century. Colossus was a statue in the city of Rhodes of a Greek titan Helios. A giant copper statue, standing straight up with head held high, as a significance of power. Ultimately, she was the perfect symbol...

Words: 499 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Statue of Liberty

...The Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, more commonly known as the Statue of Liberty, was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and was a gift to the United Stated from France. It is a monument to American independence given in honor of "the Alliance of the two Nations in achieving the Independence of the United States of America and attests their abiding friendship." The Statue of Liberty resides outside of Manhattan in New York City, on Liberty Island in the middle of New York Harbor. Physically, the statue rises only 151 feet, 1 inch, but it sits on a tall pedestal for a total height from the ground to the torch of 305 feet, 1 inch. This leads many visitors to remark how small it looks in person compared to what they imagined from images of the Statue of Liberty. With that said, her index finger is taller than a man at 8 feet, 1 inch. Clad in copper sheeting 3/32 of an inch thick, the Statue of Liberty contains over 60,000 pounds of copper and a quarter of a million pounds of steel, part of a total of 450,000 pounds. The origin of the Statue of Liberty began with Edouard de Laboulaye, know as the Father of the Statue of Liberty. Leboulaye was born in France in 1811 and became French historian and a leading expert on the Constitution of the United States, and a supporter of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. Because Laboulaye firmly believed every person had an inalienable, sacred right to freedom, he spent much of his time encouraging...

Words: 1613 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Statue of Liberty

...figures in art is The Statue of Liberty, it has the most amazing, fine detail in the statue that it is just amazing to think that someone could have built this. The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States in 1886, it is measured from the ground to the top of the torch to be 93 meters tall and it weighs 203 metric tons. On the tablet the she holds it reads the date that the declaration of independence is which is, July 4, 1776. Visitors and tourists are allowed to go into the crown of the Statue, to get there they need to climb up 354 stairs. The crown of the statue has 25 windows around it, about 4 million people enter the statue every year. The crown has 7 spikes on it which represent the 7 continents in the world; in a deeper meaning they represent the concept of freedom around the world. Edouard de Laboulaye provided the idea for the statue, while Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi designed it. Gustave Eiffel, the man who created the Eiffel tower was also behind the design for the statue, he specialized in the spine. Some other cool and interesting facts about the statue is that in winds higher than 50 mph it can sway 3 inches and the torch of the statue can move up to 5 inches. The statue of liberty has been hit by over 600 lightning bolts every year since it was built. In my opinion this is one of the greatest forms of art in the world, it has a great meaning behind it and it is amazing how anyone could have possibly came up with the idea of a statue this big and large,...

Words: 378 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Laboulaye Statue Of Liberty

...to think of the situation that took place during that time. They are a symbol to that country, state, town or region and it is something big that went down in history. The Statue of Liberty is the upper New York Bay, on Ellis Island, and is a symbol of freedom. The Statue of Liberty is a monument that was a gift from France. It was given to America in 1886 to celebrate the friendship between them during the Revolutionary War. The statue stands...

Words: 792 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Bartholdi Statue Of Liberty

...The Statue of Liberty is a classic American icon which stands proudly on a pedestal on Liberty Island, New York, Manhattan. It was designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi (a French sculptor), in which it was originally called ‘La Liberté éclairant le monde,’ which translates to ‘Liberty Enlightening the World.’ It was given to America by the French in 1886 after they defeated Great Britain and won America independence; the statue represents a notion of alliance, freedom and a democracy as Bartholdi’s aim was to create a sculpture that “outlived the past […] reached towards the infinite future,” . The appearance of the Statue of Liberty is striking and symbolic, carefully planned in order to portray a nation of freedom - At a first glances...

Words: 465 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Statue Of Liberty Research Paper

...The Statue of liberty is a very well-known statue ,it has made many impacts on different kinds of people. The statue not only resembles liberty, hope, and freedom but it also comprises a friendship between the French and America. The Statue of Liberty has its own features which make it historical, the hard work put into the process of building it later paid off because The Statue of Liberty is now a great symbol for the United States. It all started when the United States was going to celebrating their 100th anniversary of Independence from Great Britain. When a French man named Edouard de Laboulaye proposed to build a statue for the Americas. Laboulaye idea was proposed during a dinner party, and a man who attended this party was interested...

Words: 1094 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Statue Of Liberty Research Paper

...First and foremost, I would visit the Statue of Liberty. I would first have to get a ferry to take me to the island that the statue is located on. Once on the island I would start the climb to the crown of the statue. The only way up to the crown of the statue is to start the long climb up the stairs. Once at the top of the statue I would look all over New York. When looking over New York I would admire the city and all that it holds. Looking over the city from the top of Lady Liberty will give me an unforgettable experience. Moreover, I would want to climb to the top of the Empire State Building. I would go to the Empire State Building and start the climb to the top. Once I start the climb to the top I will be looking out all of...

Words: 380 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Statue Of Liberty Research Paper

...The lady enlightening the world In New York harbor, on liberty island, a mighty green woman figure stands as a clear idea of what America is going to be, a multicultural country protects freedom of speech and religion, liberty didn`t only mean freedom from the British empire, liberty also meant freedom for immigrants who leaving their mother countries and come to the united states to create a new life without any persecution from any kind. My goal in this paper is to focus on the meanings for the statue of liberty which have changed over the time, and the countless roles in its 127-year history. I have organized my paper into two main sections, in the first one, we`re going to reflect on some of the various political and cultural meanings of the statue of liberty, in the second section I focus on the universal meanings of the statue as freedom, emancipation, and the national unity. Political and cultural meanings As the American civil war drew to close, in the summer of 1865, several French intellectuals were at a dinner party at the historian Edouard de Laboulaye`s mansion in Glatigny, Laboulaye was a French law...

Words: 917 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Circle of Kwoledge and the Statue of Liberty

...For my opus I have decided to compare and contrast two unequivocal three dimensional statues: our treasured “Circle of Knowledge” and the famous “Statue of Liberty”. First we have the “Circle of Knowledge” which is located on the Mandeville campus of Northern Caribbean University (NCU), Jamaica. Presented as a gift from the graduating class of 2002 this towering 2.44meters statue, of a male and female student, was sculpted by Jamaica’s own, Basil Watson, who specialises in ‘human figure’. This monument appears to be a more contemporary style of sculpture that was cast from bonded bronze, giving it its firm gray hue. The Statue of Liberty was also a gift, a gift of friendship, from the people of France to the United States. This 93meters, colossal, pastel green statue of a woman is a neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in the middle of New York Harbour, in Manhattan. The artist responsible for this piece is Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi but Architects such as Gustave Eiffel and Richard Hunt helped with its construction. Using mediums such as copper, wrought iron and steel the construction of the statue started in September of 1875 and it opened to public viewing on October 28, 1886. Even with their extensive difference in size, the frontal exhibit of each in its own location serves as a welcoming and a reminder to its viewers. The Circle of Knowledge was explicitly designed with NCU in mind. It embodies the values and ethos of the university. This life-size, well proportioned...

Words: 936 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Statue Of Liberty Research Paper

...There are many national monuments in the United States of America, but the one that means the most to me is the Statue of Liberty. To me, it represents opportunity, freedom, and peace. In some countries, opportunity is rare. But when people come to America and see the Statue of Liberty, they know that everything is going to be alright because there are plenty of opportunities in America. Opportunities such as a better life, more job opportunities, better living conditions, and exceptional health care. There is always an opportunity for citizens of the U.S.A to become wealthy if they make wise decisions. The Statue of Liberty also represents freedom. Many people in various countries do not have this kind of freedom as we have in America. Many...

Words: 262 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Why Do Immigrants Follow The Statue Of Liberty?

...The Statue of Liberty is one of the most unmistakable landmarks of the United States of America. From its once gleaming copper to its welcoming presence surrounding Ellis Island, our beloved Lady Liberty has greeted immigrants since 1885. If one has ever been to the Statue of Liberty, they probably know that at the bottom is a poem. This poem, or sonnet, contains a beautiful message about immigrants arriving in America. It states, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” As a country, it is important to follow the words we were founded on. America should continue to follow the words stated at the base of the Statue of Liberty because it represents the country’s establishment, it is a symbol of hope to the incoming...

Words: 530 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

How Does New Colossus 'Follow A Statue Of Liberty'?

...At the base of the Statue of Liberty, there is a poem, New Colossus, the poem is about the Mother of Exiles receiving immigrants. As a country, one should feel that we should follow the words stated on the base of the statue. Many people may have different opinions, but this is the most accurate one for people who think that immigration isn’t a bad thing. We should follow it because it is was what the poem was meant for, the statue was meant to be for, and since the start of this country we have been helped by immigrants and founded by ones. The Statue of Liberty was meant to be a gift for the victory of the civil war, but it became a symbol of welcoming immigrants. The creator of the poem, Ms. Lazarus, imagined the statue as a goddess called, Mother of Exiles, who welcomes the poor and tired looking for freedom, guiding the way with her lamp. This factor contributes that the statute was meant to be a gift to welcome the immigrants that fled their homeland. The statue is a symbol of immigration, opportunity, and hope....

Words: 528 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Phenomenal Woman

...rely on her, but she carries her duties with grace. She may be going through hardship or illness or war, but she uses her courage and strength to inspire and help others get through it too.  Verses the Statue of Liberty was originally a Black woman that means friendship and freedom. Phenomenal Women is a group about women who have made a difference in the world. These women are the ultimate role significant models for our children. Many wonderful women are great role models in their day to day lives. A phenomenal woman goes a step further and strives to reach others, or reach her goal, every day. Over the years, the Statue of Liberty's symbolism has grown to include freedom and democracy as well as this international friendship. Conversely, a woman may need to focus so intently on a career or sport or art form that she is able to reach the top of her arena. In conclusion the statue of liberty and the poem phenomenal woman has a lot in common. Phenomenal woman has grace and style also courage and endurance just the same things that the statue of liberty stands for grace and freedom to people of the world. Brave women touches people lives forever and the statue of liberty freed slavery in United States. These two has great relations due to the fact that both the statue of liberty as well as phenomenal woman all did their best to make a difference in life to make the world a better...

Words: 322 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Multinational Corporations

...Running Head: MNC’S SOCIAL & CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES [MNC’s Corporate & Social Responsibilities] [Hanna Anwer] [COMSATS ISB] [Manshoor Hussain] [Report Writing Skills] Introduction Corporate initiative to assess and take responsibility for the company's effects on the environment and impact on social welfare. The term generally applies to company efforts that go beyond what may be required by regulators or environmental protection groups. (Investopedia, 2014) Unilever A lifesaving habit LONDON/ROTTERDAM, Oct. 14 /CSRwire/ - Unilever and the Earth Institute have announced a new initiative to bring hand washing with soap – a lifesaving habit – to the Millennium Villages, a project that works with nearly 500,000 people in rural villages, across 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and Paul Polman, CEO Unilever, in New York on the fifth anniversary of Global Hand washing Day. The partnership supports Unilever’s attain its goal to deliver on one of its commitments to help more than one billion people take action to improve their health and well-being. Over the past two years, Unilever has successfully changed the hand washing habits of 50 million people in Africa and South-Asia, through its leading soap brand Lifebuoy and partnerships with Population Services International (PSI) and UNICEF established through...

Words: 2185 - Pages: 9