When the Statue was unveiled in 1886, it was a shiny brown color, like a penny. By 1906, the color had changed to green. The reason the Statue of Liberty changed colors is that the outer surface is covered with hundreds of thin copper sheets. Copper reacts with the air to form a patina or verdigris.

The project would be a joint effort between the two countries–the French people were responsible for the statue and its assembly, while the Americans would build the pedestal on which it would stand–and a symbol of the friendship between their peoples.

Many historians say that the Statue of Liberty was modeled after Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom. However, sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi was first inspired by the colossal figures guarding Nubian tombs. He developed a lifelong passion for large-scale public monuments.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French people commemorating the alliance of France and the United States during the American Revolution. It was the hope of many French liberals that democracy would prevail and that freedom and justice for all would be attained.

The amount of copper in the Statue of Liberty could make 30 million pennies! When the statue was originally assembled, it was a dull brown color, reflecting the natural color of its copper plates. Over time, the weathering of the copper created a thin layer of copper carbonate called a patina.

Conditions varied from ship to ship, but steerage was normally crowded, dark, and damp. Limited sanitation and stormy seas often combined to make it dirty and foul-smelling, too. Rats, insects, and disease were common problems.

Most immigrants who passed through Ellis Island were European, but most who passed through Angel Island were Asian. many immigrants who passed through Angel Island were detained for long periods.

Many thousands of immigrants came to know Ellis Island as “detained petitioners to the New World.” These determined individuals had crossed oceans, under the burden of fear and persecution, famine and numbing poverty, to make a new life in America.

From 1892 to 1924, Ellis Island was America’s largest and most active immigration station, where over 12 million immigrants were processed. Many government workers, as well as detained immigrants, kept Ellis Island running so new arrivals could make their way into America.

Called Ellis Island after one of its many private owners, the isle became a symbolic landmark to immigrants around the world who came to America seeking a new and better life. For the vast majority, Ellis Island became known as the Isle of Hope — an open doorway to a land of promise and opportunity.

Jan

Immigrants Help Support the Aging U.S. Population A low birth rate can lead to a decline in the labor force, reduced demand in certain industries such as housing (and reduced home prices due to weaker demand), and a slowing and less dynamic economy. Immigrants, however, can counteract these effects.

In fact, immigrants help grow the economy by filling labor needs, purchasing goods and paying taxes. When more people work, productivity increases. And as an increasing number of Americans retire in coming years, immigrants will help fill labor demand and maintain the social safety net.

Immigrant ships to America/First Families