Free
It’s 1865, and the U.S. Civil War has just ended. Professor Édouard René Lefebvre de Laboulaye is giving a dinner party at his home near Versailles, France.
Laboulaye is an expert on the history of the United States. He is glad that the Union won and slavery has been outlawed.
The guests talk about how France sent soldiers, arms, ships, and money to the U.S. That helped the colonists win independence from Britain. They talk about the long friendship between France and the U.S. They also talk about their shared love of freedom. After all, between 1789 and 1792, the French fought their own revolution to gain their freedom. They overthrew King Louis XVI.
Suddenly, Laboulaye has a surprising idea. Why not honor the idea of democracy? Why not build a monument as a gift from the people of France to the people of the U.S.?
That’s how it all began. Laboulaye’s idea became a 21-year labor of love that turned into the world’s biggest symbol of freedom.
In the late 1860s, Bartholdi designed a huge lighthouse for the entrance to the Suez Canal. He called it Egypt Carrying the Light to Asia. The lighthouse was never built. However, the model showed how the Statue of Liberty might look. ▶
◀ Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi was at that party. At 31, he was already famous in France as a sculptor. Bartholdi loved the idea of creating a monument to celebrate freedom and the friendship between France and the U.S. He wouldn’t rest until that dream became a reality.
▲ Bartholdi drew this sketch of the Statue of Liberty in 1883.
▲ The Statue of Liberty is a worldwide symbol of freedom and hope. It welcomes all who enter New York Harbor. When the statue was completed in 1886, it stood 305 feet tall. It was the tallest structure in New York City. This photo was taken in 1890.
Both the American and the French Revolutions were fought for freedom and equality. The U.S. reached its goal. It formed a government of the people, for the people, and by the people. Representatives elected by citizens could make decisions. But the French had a long civil war. It was known as the Reign of Terror. It was followed by many years of political battles.
