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Position:Home>History> Why did France give the Statue of Liberty to America?Question: Why did France give the Statue of Liberty to America!? Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The French greatly admired the US for its successful struggle for freedom, including the political ordeal undertaken over the slavery issue!. The French sympathizers managed this outpouring into the Statue which honored both France and the US for their dramatic revolutions on behalf of freedom!. That, and it was rejected by Egypt!. Bartholdi, the sculptor, had proposed a statue for the Suez canal in about 1865, but the Egyptian ruler did not warm up to the idea, probably because the finances in the country at that time were not abundant!. 10 years later, Laboulaye invited Bartholdi into an elite French group that wanted to give a gift to the US in honor of their struggles and success at liberty and freedom!. Bartholdi obviously dusted off the old proposal, and fashioned a Statue of Liberty very similar to the Suez model, although he insisted until his death that the two had no connection!. It is not accurate to represent that the French were turned down at Suez and came up with America as a rebound!. The admiration for America (and Liberty) in Laboulaye's group was profound and original!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World - Standing at the entrance to New York harbor is a 151-foot statue of a woman holding a book and a torch on-high!. "Liberty Enlightening the World" was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American independence!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The statue of liberty was given to the United States as a way of acknowledging that they had finally ended slavery and provided liberty (read freedom) to all its people!. The original design of the statue had her holding broken chains in her hand but this design was problematic (as it would break off)!. Instead she was made to have a light of freedom above her head and is standing on the broken chains of slaveryWww@QuestionHome@Com The people of France gave the Statue to the people of the United States over one hundred years ago in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution!.Www@QuestionHome@Com A gift for the Centennial!. And a gift of Friendship!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Gift to symbolize friendship!.Www@QuestionHome@Com show of friendship towards US from a poor nationWww@QuestionHome@Com |