Section A Five Famous Symbols of American Culture.doc

Section A Five Famous Symbols of American Culture Background Information the Statue of Liberty The idea of creating the Statue of Liberty began in France at a dinner party hosted by Edouard Rene Lefebvre Laboulaye, a scholar. Laboulaye and Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, a sculptor, began to discuss the idea of presenting the United States with a monument to memorialize independence and human liberty. Bartholdi sailed from France to New York on June 8, 1871, to propose the building of the statue to honor the friendship between France and the United States. As the ship pulled into New York Harbor, Bartholdi spotted the perfect location, Liberty Island. During his trip to the United States, he met with US President Ulysses S. Grant; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, an American poet; Horace Greeley, a New York editor and politician; and others. Bartholdi traveled across the United States carrying a sketch of the statue and a small model. Everyone was receptive, but financial backing was difficult to find. Barbie dolls It was the late 1950s when Ruth Handler noticed her daughter playing with paper dolls and imagining them in grown-up roles. Since most dolls at the time were baby dolls, Ruth envisioned one that would inspire little girls to think about what they wanted to be when they grew up. Ruth created a teenage fashion model doll named Barbie (after her daughter), and the rest is history. Barbie has been an integral part of the lives of millions of young girls. Her timeless appeal has resulted in a dedicated legion of fans that love to collect her.. Buffalo nickel In 1911 sculptor James Earl Fraser began designing the “Buffalo” nickel. Fraser said the portrait on the “heads” side was a composite of three American Indians—Iron Tail, Big Tree and Two Moons. Fraser had the opportunity to study and photograph them when they stopped off in New York on their way to Washington to visit President Theodore Roosevelt. By borrowing features from each individual, Fraser was able