Statue of Liberty explained to kids

The Statue of Liberty is a huge, copper statue that stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. It was a gift to the United States from the people of France, and it was dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue is 151 feet tall, and the pedestal it stands on is 305 feet tall. That makes the Statue of Liberty about the same height as a 15-story building! The Statue of Liberty was designed by French artist Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. It was built in France and then shipped to the United States in 350 pieces. It took workers almost four months to put all the pieces together. The Statue of Liberty has a torch in her right hand and a tablet in her left hand. The tablet has the date of the American Declaration of Independence written on it: July 4, 1776. The torch symbolizes liberty and freedom. The Statue of Liberty is made of copper sheets that are only as thick as two pennies put together. Over the years, the Statue of Liberty has turned green because of a natural process called oxidation. The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous symbols of the United States. Millions of people visit her every year.