A Gift That Welcomed Millions
In the spring of 1907, twelve-year-old Rosa stood on the deck of a crowded steamship as it entered New York Harbor. Her family had traveled for weeks from Italy, hoping to build a new life in the United States. The passengers hurried to the rail, pointing toward a giant statue rising above the water.
It is even bigger than I imagined, Rosa whispered.
An older passenger smiled. That is the Statue of Liberty. Many people see it before they ever step onto American soil.
As the ship moved closer, Rosa noticed the statue's raised torch shining in the morning light. Her father explained that the torch stood for hope and freedom. The tablet in the statue's arm reminded people of July 4, 1776, the day the United States declared its independence.
At Ellis Island, Rosa watched families from many different countries wait to be inspected before entering the nation. Some looked excited. Others looked nervous. Even though they spoke different languages, many had smiled when they first caught sight of the statue.
Years later, Rosa often thought about that morning in the harbor. The Statue of Liberty had not promised that life would be easy. Instead, it reminded her family why they had made the journey, to find new opportunities and become part of a country built on the ideas of freedom and democracy.