America’s Monuments | The Colossus of New York Harbor | 1

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2021

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It’s perhaps the most iconic of American monuments -- the Statue of Liberty. A towering 305-foot sculpture of copper and steel that is synonymous with American values of liberty, freedom and self-determination. But it began as a gift from France. And when it first arrived on American soil, its future was far from certain.

For over a decade, artists, craftsmen and everyday people from France and the United States worked together on what would be dubbed America’s “New Colossus.” The statue they built would take on new associations with the passage of time -- but it would forever remain a symbol of America’s loftiest ideals.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, Prime Members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon Music,
0:05.6	download the app today.
0:09.4	Imagine it's September 1876, a clear breezy afternoon in Philadelphia.
0:23.2	It's the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the city
0:28.7	is overrun by crowds coming to visit the Centennial Exhibition.
0:33.2	This weekend, you and your friend Maddie have organized a trip to Faremont Park, where
0:37.6	the exhibition is being held.
0:39.4	A Barker's voice calls you nearby.
0:41.6	Travel up in the torch, broaden your perspective from a bird's eye view.
0:46.9	This morning you already saw the demonstration for a contraption called the telephone.
0:51.8	You also tasted some samples of tomato ketchup from a man named Heinz.
0:56.5	At the site before you is by far the most impressive, you're staring up at an enormous copper
1:01.8	statue of a hand holding a torch.
1:05.0	Your friend points to it, they're calling it the Statue of Liberty.
1:08.6	God, it must be as tall as a three-story building.
1:12.0	Below the hand and torch is a kiosk selling miniature statues and pamphlets.
1:16.5	A large illustration showing the full statue is painted on the side of the kiosk.
1:21.0	As you buy a pair of tickets, the Barker gives you both a wary glance.
1:24.5	Are you sure you ladies have the constitution to climb the ladder to the top?
1:28.0	It's pretty high.
1:29.3	We'll manage.
1:30.3	Thank you kindly.
	...

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