What does the poem say at the bottom of the Statue of Liberty?

Several phrases are associated with the Statue of Liberty, but the most recognizable is “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” This quote comes from Emma Lazarus' sonnet, New Colossus, which she wrote for a fundraiser auction to raise money for the pedestal upon which the Statue ...



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In these lines, the new Colossus is telling the world to give her all of the people who are longing for freedom, regardless of how they are—tired or poor, it makes no difference.

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The Statue of Liberty stands in Upper New York Bay, a universal symbol of freedom. Originally conceived as an emblem of the friendship between the people of France and the U.S. and a sign of their mutual desire for liberty, it was also meant to celebrate the abolition of slavery following the U.S. Civil War.

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The poem, The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus, was written in tribute to refugees and immigrants. Lazarus, a New Yorker of Portuguese Sephardic Jewish descent, was asked to write the poem to raise money for the statue's pedestal. She drew inspiration from the work she did as an aide for refugees on Ward's Island.

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Similar to the United States flag, the Statue of Liberty is a tool to bring people together and unify them around the core ideas of freedom, peace, and opportunity.

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What does the torch represent? The torch is a symbol of enlightenment. The Statue of Liberty's torch lights the way to freedom showing us the path to Liberty. Even the Statue's official name represents her most important symbol Liberty Enlightening the World.

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5 Things You May Not Know About the Statue of Liberty
  • The statue represents a Roman Goddess. ...
  • The crown's spikes represent the oceans and continents. ...
  • Lady Liberty is struck by lightning 600 times every year. ...
  • Gustave Eiffel helped to build it. ...
  • Lady Liberty's face is modelled on the artist's mother.


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