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The Statue of Liberty,which is
one of the best-known monuments in the
world
,presented to the United States of
America
in the nineteen century by the people of
France.
The French made this gift in
memory of the
help which France
gave the
Americans during the war of Independence
against the
English.
The great statue was
designed by the French
sculptor,Frederic Bartholday and it took
ten years to complete.The statue is made of copper and it is
supported
by a metal framework which was especially constructed by Gustave Eiffel the
enginer who build the
Eiffel Tower in Paris.The site chosen for
the statue was an island at the entrance of New York Harbour.In
1884 the
satue,which was 151
feet
high,was erected in Paris.The following year it was taken to pieces and
carried
to America where it was placed in a large pedestal 151 feet high,so
that the
stateme is altotether 305 feet high.It weights 255 tons.
In
1885 the stateme was put together again and it was afficially presented
to the
American people by Barthold.Ever since than,great monument has welcomed
the
millions of people have past through New York Harbour.
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