The Story of Its Inception and Construction
The idea of presenting the American nation with a monument portraying the freedom of its people was presented by Edouard de Laboulaye in 1865. He was a French political intellectual with deep insight into the Constitution. He viewed this project as a means to reaffirm French and American stances on freedom and democracy, hoping it would also strengthen the democratic ideals in France.
The French sculptor and artist Auguste Bartholdi agreed with him and, in 1870, embarked on a creative effort to build the Statue of Liberty. He arrived in the United States in 1875 to look at suitable sites. He also discussed his visions with American politicians and publishers.
His design was approved in 1875, and he formally requested that the U.S. President choose Bedloe’s Island as the site for the statue. In the same year, the Franco-American Union was formed to supervise the project and secure the required funding. The French financed the construction, while the Americans funded the pedestal. The construction of the statue began in 1876 in France; the first part completed was the hand holding the torch that was sent to America and exhibited at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and Madison Square in New York City. The head and shoulders were completed in 1878 and exhibited at the Paris Universal Exposition.
