It's been over a hundred years since the Statue of Liberty found her home in the harbor of New York and it has become an important part of American culture. But would you believe that Lady Liberty was actually a gift from the French? Read on for more fun facts on the Statue of Liberty.
Building Lady Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was built by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, with the help of tons of workers working ten hour days, seven days a week for nine years! The statue was finally finished in 1884 and presented to America on July 4th. It didn't arrive in the United States until many months later though, cuz all 350 individual pieces of the statue had to be packed into 214 crates for the long boat ride from France to New York.
The Statue of Liberty Comes to America
It was on Bedloe Island that the Statue of Liberty was reconstructed in America - the island is now called Liberty Island and is only accessible by ferry. Auguste Bartholdi thought that the New York harbor was the perfect setting for his masterpiece because it was "where people get their first view of the New World." The statue was to be a symbol of welcome for all immigrants coming to America, as well as a universal symbol of freedom.
Statue of Liberty Poem for Kids
Paul Perro, a children's writer, has written a great poem about the Statue of Liberty. You can read it online at History-For-Kids.com!
Statue of Liberty DrawingCourtesy of History-For-Kids.com
Statue of Liberty Quick Facts
- The Statue of Liberty celebrates her birthday on October 28th in honor of the day she was officially accepted by the president of the United States in 1886.
- Visitors must climb 354 stairs to reach the Statue of Liberty's crown (or take an elevator to a lower lookout point).
- There are 25 windows in Lady Liberty's crown.
- The seven spikes on the Statue of Liberty's crown represent either the seven oceans or the seven continents.
- The statue is made of copper and is now green in color because of oxidation (a chemical reaction between metal and water) from evaporation of the seawater surrounding it.
- The Staue of Liberty weighs 450,000 pounds (204, 100 kilograms).
- The Statue of Liberty has size 879 sandals that are each 25 feet (7.6m) long.
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