Centuries Collide

Cody Crouch: American Idol | Centuries Collide

February 22, 2025 | S2:E14

She’s over a hundred forty years old, stands three hundred five feet tall, and is covered entirely in copper plating. She’s Lady Liberty, the very first American Idol. This is the story of how America found her symbol of freedom and what she has meant to the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

#Faith #Freedom #Slavery #AmericanHistory #History #Culture #Government #Military #WordofGod #inActive #CodyCrouch #FreedomofSpeech #Documentary

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Centuries Collide | Cody Crouch: American Idol | Centuries Collide | February 22, 2025

>> cody crouch: i'm cody crouch.
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And this is the craziest crash course on american history
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You'll ever see.
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Buckle up.
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It's time for "centuries collide."
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[music]
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>> cody: today we're in new york city,
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The entry point for millions of immigrants
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At the turn of the century,
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And we're talkin' about one of the first american faces
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They ever saw.
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But before we get to that, new york is, has,
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And always will be under construction.
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Sorry about the mess, but this is a pretty good metaphor for
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The reconstruction era.
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That was a time just after the civil war
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When the nation was done tearing itself apart and attempting to
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Put itself back together.
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America had put an end to slavery
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And given its black citizens
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The right to vote and own land,
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And as america formed this new national identity,
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It needed a new symbol.
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She's over 140 years old, stands 305 feet tall,
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Including your pedestal,
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And is covered entirely of copper plating.
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She starred in movies like "spider-man,"
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"x-men,"
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"planet of the apes."
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Who can forget "ghostbusters ii"?
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[music]
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>> cody: actually, maybe everyone should forget
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"ghostbusters ii."
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But her biggest role is welcoming every immigrant
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Who has ever entered new york harbor.
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She is the statue of liberty.
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But how did she get here?
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And why?
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And what's up with the pointy hat?
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Let's find out.
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You know, liberty's not just comforting.
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She's a pretty tough lady,
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And you would be too if you had wolverine fighting mutants
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On your head or you were struck by lightning 600 times a year.
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That part is true.
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In fact, you could even say that there were lots of ladies
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Throughout history who auditioned to become the
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American idol.
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>> captain america: welcome to "idol search,"
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A fake game show to explain how we got the creation of
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America's favorite symbol.
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>> captain america: today, we are looking for the ultimate
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American idol.
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She's gotta stand tall with humility.
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She's gotta be strong but soft.
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She's gotta be the ultimate symbol of freedom, inspiration,
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And hope.
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>> male: i hate this.
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>> cody: for many,
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Lady liberty's
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The first thing they think of when they think of america.
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Over four million people flock to liberty island
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To see the statue every year.
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She's regal, she's beautiful, and, well, she's green,
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But we'll get to that part later.
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Long before uncle sam first appeared in the 19th century,
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Artists struggled to depict america as a woman.
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Many nations took to a masculine image
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When it came to war or conquering,
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But when it came to symbolizing a homeland,
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They took to the woman.
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In this way, a nation takes the form of a mother figure,
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A place that nourishes and feeds.
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And the look of this american woman has changed wildly
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Over the years.
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>> cody: in the 16th century,
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European explorers told stories of an exotic new world
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Filled with strange plants, animals, and peoples.
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To those at home, the new world might as well have been a
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Fantasyland of alien creatures.
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I mean, if you'd never seen an armadillo before,
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You'd probably freak out too.
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I mean, what even are they?
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Armored rat pigs?
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[plants chattering]
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>> cody: drawing upon these tales,
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European artists created a queen america to stand for the
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Entire western hemisphere.
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[singsong voice]
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>> queen america: i'm friends with queen africa, queen asia,
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And queen europa--
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You know, the four continents.
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>> male: there are seven continents.
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>> queen america: not all yet discovered.
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And like me, i'm ready to be discovered.
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[staccato vocalizing]
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>> captain america: when we return,
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We'll see america as a rebellious daughter.
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[music]
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No taxation without representation.
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[ding, ding]
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[music]
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>> cody: the rebellious daughter was created by satirists
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In the mid-1800s.
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The united states was no longer a monarch,
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So a queen america didn't really work for the founding fathers.
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They needed an icon with some slug,
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So they came up with
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Another icon,
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A rebellious daughter.
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>> rebellious daughter: i'm young, vigorous,
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And freedom-loving.
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And i won't drink your stupid tea--
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[grunt]
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>> female: what is happening?
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>> rebellious daughter: whatever.
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I'm outta here.
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>> cody: well, that didn't work.
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>> captain america: up next on "idol search,"
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America has lady columbia.
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>> lady columbia: don't make me use my sword.
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>> cody: created in the mid-1800s,
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Her name was derived from the explorer christopher columbus.
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Illustrated as a greco-roman goddess with a flowing gown,
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She wore pristine white or the stars and stripes.
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Columbia displayed american virtues
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With her cap of liberty,
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Her sword of justice, the olive branch of peace,
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And the laurel wreath of victory.
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>> captain america: you've most likely seen
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Our next contestant before.
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She's lady columbia.
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>> lady columbia: i am military power.
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[judge snoring]
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I support the black vote, the women's vote,
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And women's place in the war.
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>> cody: in political cartoons,
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Columbia stood beside nurses in world war i
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And charged ahead for women's suffrage.
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Once the 19th amendment was approved in 1920,
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Women finally had the right to vote,
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And columbia became somewhat obsolete.
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Once again, a new female figure had to take her place.
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[music]
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>> cody: the new idea was a goddess of liberty modeled after
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The roman goddess of freedom,
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An ancient look but with american twist,
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And what's more american than freedom?
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After the passage of the 13th amendment,
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Which abolished slavery,
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The united states needed an icon that would stand up for liberty.
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She wasn't standing in the harbor until october 28, 1886,
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But the idea of her had been around for a long time
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Since the end of the civil war,
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Bouncing around the head of a french history professor.
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The creator of the statue was edouard de laboulaye,
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Born in paris to a wealthy family.
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He spent most of his career studying law, history,
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And writing books, but when he began studying u.s. law,
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He grew more and more outspoken against slavery.
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So as a gift for passing the 13th amendment
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That ended slavery,
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The french gave the united states the statue of liberty.
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She would walk us into the 20th century with those big,
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Beautiful sandals.
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The original design of the statue depicted liberty
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Holding chains and not a torch,
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With open shackles at her feet,
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All symbolizing the end of slavery.
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Unfortunately, jim crow laws kept the lingering stain of
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Discrimination in our society.
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There was still too much racial tension,
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And many black citizens felt that these symbols actually
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Trivialized their struggles.
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This made laboulaye rethink the shackles.
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The design was reduced to just chains laying around her feet
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As she would hold her famous tablet instead.
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Her copper form would need an internal steel structure
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To support it,
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Created by none other than alexandre gustave eiffel,
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As in, yeah, "that" eiffel.
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[music]
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>> cody: it took nine years to build the statue in france,
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Using a combination of new engineering techniques
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And old craftsmanship.
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Craftsmen would assemble the large pieces one at a time.
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Then they shipped the torch to america to be displayed
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At an expo in philadelphia
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While the head and shoulders were on exhibit in paris.
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All the while, the base was being built in the u.s.
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>> cody: the statue's skin was created
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Using the repousse technique,
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Which is just a fancy french word for
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"hammering thin designs to create a reliefed design."
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The statue was shipped
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To the united states in pieces, like, one year at a time
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And was reassembled with surprising speed.
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And get this:
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Many of the people who helped reassemble the statue
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Were new immigrants.
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[music]
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>> cody: the statue's face was the final section completed
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And was kept completely covered until its dedication.
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Construction finally ended in 1886.
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This lady was not a cheap date.
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Taking her out on the town cost $650,000,
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Paid for by both countries:
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France would pay for the statue,
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And america would pay for the base.
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>> cody: believe it or not,
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The money wouldn't come from the u.s. government.
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Instead, it would be privately funded in one of the largest
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Fundraising campaigns of all time.
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In order to put her in the new york harbor,
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The money would be raised from everyday people like you and me.
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There were prize fights, auctions, theatrical events,
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Even famous newsy tycoon and nefarious newsy villain,
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Joseph pulitzer,
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Got in on the fundraising game.
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If you donated enough money,
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He'd print your name in the paper.
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Finally, on october 28, 1886,
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We had ourselves a new american idol.
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[ding, ding]
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[music]
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[music]
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>> captain america: the results are in.
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It only took a hundred years.
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Your next american idol will be announced after this message.
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>> male: i will punch you in the throat.
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>> female: yeah, me too.
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[beep]
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>> captain america: and the message is now,
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Ladies and gentlemen, please meet your new american idol.
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["american idol" theme music]
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[gasp]
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>> female: you're a star.
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>> male: even i think you're spectacular.
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[cheers and applause]
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>> cody: now, about that pointy hat,
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Every part of the lady is symbolic.
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>> male: every part of that getup looks like it's symbolic.
00:10:10.567 --> 00:10:13.136
>> male: tell us everything.
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>> captain america: the torch represents enlightenment,
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Lighting the way to freedom.
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The current torch is a copper flame made with 24-karat gold.
00:10:18.775 --> 00:10:21.812
The crown represents a radiant halo
00:10:21.812 --> 00:10:25.348
Or the rays of the bright morning sun.
00:10:25.348 --> 00:10:28.351
The seven spikes represent the seven dwarfs.
00:10:28.351 --> 00:10:30.153
>> lady liberty: yeah-- no.
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They represent the seven continents
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And the seven seas of the world,
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But the tablet of law bears the day of american independence,
00:10:37.694 --> 00:10:40.664
July 4, 1776, in roman numerals.
00:10:40.664 --> 00:10:44.668
>> female: your skin is all, like, green, and i am obsessed.
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[laughs]
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>> lady liberty: it's actually made of copper
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And used to be a lovely shade of copper brown,
00:10:52.676 --> 00:10:55.278
But oxidization caused by rain, wind, and sun
00:10:55.278 --> 00:10:58.849
Gave me this distinctive green color known as verdigris.
00:10:58.849 --> 00:11:03.487
>> captain america: maybe she's born with it.
00:11:03.487 --> 00:11:05.188
[captain america singing]
00:11:05.188 --> 00:11:06.289
Maybe it's verdigris.
00:11:06.289 --> 00:11:08.024
>> captain america: verdigris for copper skin.
00:11:08.024 --> 00:11:09.159
[music]
00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:10.560
>> cody: at the time, she was the tallest structure
00:11:10.560 --> 00:11:12.729
In new york city, and as she drew crowds,
00:11:12.729 --> 00:11:14.464
She made ellis island one of the most popular destinations
00:11:14.464 --> 00:11:17.701
In the world.
00:11:17.701 --> 00:11:20.137
>> cody: the island served as a navy munitions depot
00:11:20.137 --> 00:11:22.539
Before it was turned into a federal immigration station.
00:11:22.539 --> 00:11:25.575
At the same time the statue was going up,
00:11:25.575 --> 00:11:28.378
Millions of immigrants started arriving into new york harbor,
00:11:28.378 --> 00:11:31.715
And the association stuck,
00:11:31.715 --> 00:11:34.918
Cementing old liberty as a welcome to all immigrants,
00:11:34.918 --> 00:11:38.021
And it's a welcome that she still extends to this day.
00:11:38.021 --> 00:11:41.658
>> cody: in order to learn more about the statue of liberty
00:11:41.658 --> 00:11:43.894
And everything she represents,
00:11:43.894 --> 00:11:46.730
I need to talk to national park ranger kathryn gibson
00:11:46.730 --> 00:11:49.933
Here on liberty island.
00:11:49.933 --> 00:11:51.568
>> cody: ranger kathryn, thanks for being with us on
00:11:51.568 --> 00:11:53.303
"centuries collide."
00:11:53.303 --> 00:11:54.604
Where exactly are we?
00:11:54.604 --> 00:11:57.507
>> kathryn gibson: we are in the torch gallery of
00:11:57.507 --> 00:11:58.809
The "new museum," as we like to call it,
00:11:58.809 --> 00:12:00.043
Here at the statue of liberty,
00:12:00.043 --> 00:12:01.111
On liberty island, in the new york harbor.
00:12:01.111 --> 00:12:03.046
>> cody: so what kind of things are done to maintain the statue?
00:12:03.046 --> 00:12:05.448
>> kathryn: she did have some major work
00:12:05.448 --> 00:12:07.050
At her 100th birthday.
00:12:07.050 --> 00:12:09.152
They had made some choices in the early years
00:12:09.152 --> 00:12:12.522
To cut some holes in the original torch,
00:12:12.522 --> 00:12:14.558
Trying to turn her into a lighthouse.
00:12:14.558 --> 00:12:17.894
That didn't really ever turn out the way
00:12:17.894 --> 00:12:19.196
That they kind of thought that it might turn out,
00:12:19.196 --> 00:12:21.031
And that let in a ton of water
00:12:21.031 --> 00:12:23.266
Into the statue over those first 100 years.
00:12:23.266 --> 00:12:27.003
But overall, she's really an independent woman.
00:12:27.003 --> 00:12:28.638
The green patina that turns her green really takes care of the
00:12:28.638 --> 00:12:31.308
Inside of the statue; so she doesn't really need a lot of
00:12:31.308 --> 00:12:33.977
Help from us.
00:12:33.977 --> 00:12:35.312
>> cody: so this is the original torch, correct?
00:12:35.312 --> 00:12:36.746
>> kathryn: yes.
00:12:36.746 --> 00:12:38.415
So this stood on the statue for a hundred years.
00:12:38.415 --> 00:12:40.817
I almost appreciate the fact that they made basically
00:12:40.817 --> 00:12:42.686
Some mistakes on this torch
00:12:42.686 --> 00:12:43.987
Because it means that now we get to get so up-close to it.
00:12:43.987 --> 00:12:47.157
I mean, you would only be able to get this close
00:12:47.157 --> 00:12:48.825
In a helicopter tour.
00:12:48.825 --> 00:12:50.193
>> cody: yeah.
00:12:50.193 --> 00:12:51.194
>> kathryn: and it's really interesting
00:12:51.194 --> 00:12:52.629
Because the original purpose of the statue
00:12:52.629 --> 00:12:56.032
Was not really to celebrate immigration
00:12:56.032 --> 00:12:57.300
Or wasn't really a statement about immigration.
00:12:57.300 --> 00:12:59.269
It was really just a gift from the people of france
00:12:59.269 --> 00:13:01.071
To celebrate democracy,
00:13:01.071 --> 00:13:03.406
To celebrate the 100 years since the signing of
00:13:03.406 --> 00:13:07.444
The declaration of independence.
00:13:07.444 --> 00:13:09.713
It wasn't originally an idea about immigration;
00:13:09.713 --> 00:13:12.549
So deciding to put
00:13:12.549 --> 00:13:15.118
"the new colossus" inside the pedestal
00:13:15.118 --> 00:13:16.786
And memorialize a poem
00:13:16.786 --> 00:13:18.855
That's so clearly about immigration is one of the
00:13:18.855 --> 00:13:20.290
Many reasons why people hold the statue of liberty as a
00:13:20.290 --> 00:13:21.892
Symbol of immigration.
00:13:21.892 --> 00:13:23.793
You know, it's also very close in proximity to ellis island,
00:13:23.793 --> 00:13:26.429
Which was the first federal immigration inspection station
00:13:26.429 --> 00:13:29.032
In the united states.
00:13:29.032 --> 00:13:30.300
So even though that wasn't the original intention
00:13:30.300 --> 00:13:32.569
For the creators of the statue,
00:13:32.569 --> 00:13:36.106
Emma lazarus and her legacy definitely helped to, kind of,
00:13:36.106 --> 00:13:38.508
Link those two ideas together.
00:13:38.508 --> 00:13:40.677
Because she's so neutral and universal,
00:13:40.677 --> 00:13:43.847
You're really able to see whatever your own personal ideas
00:13:43.847 --> 00:13:46.283
Of liberty and freedom are in the statue itself.
00:13:46.283 --> 00:13:49.052
That's why she's endured as such a symbol of american pride
00:13:49.052 --> 00:13:52.589
And freedom.
00:13:52.589 --> 00:13:54.090
[music]
00:13:54.090 --> 00:13:54.991
[ding, ding]
00:13:54.991 --> 00:13:56.860
[music]
00:13:56.860 --> 00:13:57.006
[music]
00:13:57.006 --> 00:14:01.332
>> cody: after being greeted by the statue of liberty
00:13:58.429 --> 00:14:02.333
In the new york harbor,
00:14:02.333 --> 00:14:03.801
Immigrants would travel to ellis island to be processed
00:14:03.801 --> 00:14:06.070
Into the united states.
00:14:06.070 --> 00:14:08.506
[irish accent]
00:14:08.506 --> 00:14:09.240
>> annie moore: i'm annie moore,
00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:10.741
A teenager from county cork, ireland.
00:14:10.741 --> 00:14:12.677
I was the first immigrant to set foot on ellis island,
00:14:12.677 --> 00:14:15.246
New year's day, 1892.
00:14:15.246 --> 00:14:18.182
>> cody: from 1892 to 1954, ellis island processed more than
00:14:18.182 --> 00:14:22.920
12 million immigrants in the united states.
00:14:22.920 --> 00:14:24.855
Even today, tens of millions of americans
00:14:24.855 --> 00:14:27.792
Can trace their family roots to this place.
00:14:27.792 --> 00:14:33.831
[music]
00:14:33.831 --> 00:14:35.199
>> cody: many immigrants came here to ellis island with their
00:14:35.199 --> 00:14:37.401
Entire lives packed on their backs.
00:14:37.401 --> 00:14:41.005
Hopefully, they didn't have a limit for checked bags.
00:14:41.005 --> 00:14:43.741
[ba-dum-tss]
00:14:43.741 --> 00:14:45.042
>> cody: many who came here were escaping religious, racial,
00:14:45.042 --> 00:14:45.977
Or political persecution.
00:14:45.977 --> 00:14:47.478
Some were just seeking better job opportunities,
00:14:47.478 --> 00:14:49.747
Or in the case of famine,
00:14:49.747 --> 00:14:51.649
Some just needed to go someplace where they could get
00:14:51.649 --> 00:14:54.085
More to eat.
00:14:54.085 --> 00:14:55.319
>> cody: many greek and italian laborers were lured here
00:14:55.319 --> 00:14:59.156
By contract labor offered by these guys called "padrones."
00:14:59.156 --> 00:15:02.326
But these jobs could be in hazardous conditions
00:15:02.326 --> 00:15:05.029
With very low pay
00:15:05.029 --> 00:15:06.397
Lowered even further once the padrones got their cut.
00:15:06.397 --> 00:15:11.936
But for many immigrants, it was-- ["godfather" accent]
00:15:11.936 --> 00:15:13.437
-- it was an offer they couldn't refuse.
00:15:13.437 --> 00:15:15.439
[italian accent]
00:15:15.439 --> 00:15:16.474
>> male: they asked me if i was a communist.
00:15:16.474 --> 00:15:20.044
I said, "no, i'm not a communist."
00:15:20.044 --> 00:15:22.279
I'm italian."
00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:23.781
[ding, kiss]
00:15:23.781 --> 00:15:25.182
>> cody: soon it was clear that certain industries
00:15:25.182 --> 00:15:27.018
Attracted certain nationalities.
00:15:27.018 --> 00:15:28.719
Hungarians, poles, slovaks, bohemians, and italians
00:15:28.719 --> 00:15:32.223
Flocked to the coal mines or the steel mills.
00:15:32.223 --> 00:15:36.060
The greeks preferred the textile mills.
00:15:36.060 --> 00:15:38.529
Russian and polish jews worked the needle trades
00:15:38.529 --> 00:15:40.398
Or pushcart markets of new york.
00:15:40.398 --> 00:15:42.366
Railroad companies advertised free or cheap farmland,
00:15:42.366 --> 00:15:45.569
Sending pamphlets overseas to lure farmworkers,
00:15:45.569 --> 00:15:49.573
But the vast majority of immigrants
00:15:49.573 --> 00:15:51.142
Crowded into the cities,
00:15:51.142 --> 00:15:52.476
Which held the biggest promise of a shiny new life.
00:15:52.476 --> 00:15:55.346
[yiddish accent]
00:15:55.346 --> 00:15:56.447
>> male: america wasn't exactly what i expected.
00:15:56.447 --> 00:15:58.616
I heard the streets were paved with gold, but when i got here,
00:15:58.616 --> 00:16:04.088
I found out three things:
00:16:04.088 --> 00:16:05.656
First, the streets weren't paved with gold.
00:16:05.656 --> 00:16:09.326
Second, the streets weren't paved at all.
00:16:09.326 --> 00:16:13.097
And, third, i was expected to pave them.
00:16:13.097 --> 00:16:17.334
What kind of schlemiel-- what?
00:16:17.334 --> 00:16:19.203
To have an old latke
00:16:19.203 --> 00:16:20.538
Like me paving the street?
00:16:20.538 --> 00:16:21.439
I ask you, who's the mashugana now?
00:16:21.439 --> 00:16:26.777
[music]
00:16:26.777 --> 00:16:28.012
>> cody: if these bags could talk, huh?
00:16:28.012 --> 00:16:29.580
They'd probably say somethin' like,
00:16:29.580 --> 00:16:31.082
"hey, cody, why does it take so long to immigrate
00:16:31.082 --> 00:16:33.851
To the united states?"
00:16:33.851 --> 00:16:35.853
And i'd probably say something like,
00:16:35.853 --> 00:16:36.954
"well, it's because, if you're more than a bag,
00:16:36.954 --> 00:16:39.223
It's 'cause there was, like, a ton of steps."
00:16:39.223 --> 00:16:42.793
>> cody: after a long and rocky voyage at sea,
00:16:42.793 --> 00:16:45.096
Immigrants arrived at ellis island to be herded through a
00:16:45.096 --> 00:16:47.865
Barnlike structure into long lines.
00:16:47.865 --> 00:16:51.435
Then they were tagged.
00:16:51.435 --> 00:16:53.370
These tags had travel information,
00:16:53.370 --> 00:16:55.606
Entries from ships' logs, their netflix password, you know,
00:16:55.606 --> 00:16:57.975
The usual stuff.
00:16:57.975 --> 00:17:01.479
Then they got in a new line where a government
00:17:01.479 --> 00:17:04.181
Inspector asked them a list of 29 probing questions such as
00:17:04.181 --> 00:17:05.683
"have you any money, relatives, or a job in the united states?
00:17:05.683 --> 00:17:09.887
Are you a polygamist?
00:17:09.887 --> 00:17:11.288
An anarchist?
00:17:11.288 --> 00:17:13.524
Do you prefer crunchy or smooth peanut butter?"
00:17:13.524 --> 00:17:16.193
You know, important stuff.
00:17:16.193 --> 00:17:17.995
>> cody: and then they waited in another long line
00:17:17.995 --> 00:17:19.763
For a medical inspection.
00:17:19.763 --> 00:17:21.565
Here, doctors and nurses would poke and prod you,
00:17:21.565 --> 00:17:23.968
Looking for any signs of disease or handicap
00:17:23.968 --> 00:17:25.703
To determine if you were fit for entry into the united states.
00:17:25.703 --> 00:17:29.106
>> male: wiggle your toes.
00:17:29.106 --> 00:17:30.641
Say, "ahhh."
00:17:30.641 --> 00:17:31.809
>> male: ahhh.
00:17:31.809 --> 00:17:33.110
>> male: sorry, this stethoscope will probably be pretty cold.
00:17:33.110 --> 00:17:35.012
[shrieks]
00:17:35.012 --> 00:17:36.313
>> cody: good news is only 2% of people were turned away.
00:17:36.313 --> 00:17:38.382
An average of 1,900 people passed through this process,
00:17:38.382 --> 00:17:45.456
Checked in at these desks, and gave their names every day.
00:17:45.456 --> 00:17:48.592
If they did not receive a stamp of approval,
00:17:48.592 --> 00:17:50.394
Perhaps because they were criminals, anarchists,
00:17:50.394 --> 00:17:53.030
Or disease-carriers,
00:17:53.030 --> 00:17:54.732
Then they were sent back to their place of origin.
00:17:54.732 --> 00:17:56.467
Most of the time, this all only took a few hours,
00:17:56.467 --> 00:18:01.539
But some people could be detained for days or weeks.
00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:03.974
>> male: i'm dying.
00:18:03.974 --> 00:18:05.009
I've been waiting for over 300 days.
00:18:05.009 --> 00:18:08.812
>> cody: when they finally made it through,
00:18:08.812 --> 00:18:10.314
It was off to make their way in new york city,
00:18:10.314 --> 00:18:11.715
Or they could hop on a train or a barge in new jersey.
00:18:11.715 --> 00:18:15.219
They could find themselves all the way across the country.
00:18:15.219 --> 00:18:18.889
[music]
00:18:18.889 --> 00:18:22.660
>> cody: the greatest surge of immigration took place in the
00:18:22.660 --> 00:18:25.062
Progressive era, from 1896 to 1916.
00:18:25.062 --> 00:18:28.933
With millions of new immigrants suddenly arriving,
00:18:28.933 --> 00:18:31.302
Resources to help out were in short supply.
00:18:31.302 --> 00:18:34.605
Many of these people were starting their lives over
00:18:34.605 --> 00:18:36.974
From scratch.
00:18:36.974 --> 00:18:38.542
They needed jobs, places to live.
00:18:38.542 --> 00:18:40.945
Some needed to learn entirely new languages.
00:18:40.945 --> 00:18:43.814
[music]
00:18:43.814 --> 00:18:45.216
[ding, ding]
00:18:45.216 --> 00:18:47.006
[ding, ding]
00:18:47.006 --> 00:18:48.386
[music]
00:18:48.386 --> 00:18:51.323
>> cody: for newcomers arriving without family,
00:18:51.323 --> 00:18:53.258
They found comfort in neighborhoods mostly populated
00:18:53.258 --> 00:18:56.361
By their fellow countrymen.
00:18:56.361 --> 00:18:58.196
Here, they could talk in their native tongue,
00:18:58.196 --> 00:19:00.398
Practice their religion,
00:19:00.398 --> 00:19:02.200
And enjoy cultural celebrations that reminded them of home.
00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:06.504
But a new life in a new country wasn't easy.
00:19:06.504 --> 00:19:08.840
So who could help them get started?
00:19:08.840 --> 00:19:10.275
Believe it or not,
00:19:10.275 --> 00:19:11.743
The best resource for the immigrant was the church.
00:19:11.743 --> 00:19:16.681
Every christian denomination came together to care for these
00:19:16.681 --> 00:19:19.517
Immigrant families.
00:19:19.517 --> 00:19:21.253
If you needed a job, the church was a great place to start.
00:19:21.253 --> 00:19:24.589
They were the established hubs of their communities.
00:19:24.589 --> 00:19:27.959
In any barrio or neighborhood, those who ministered to the
00:19:27.959 --> 00:19:31.696
Needs of its people gained their trust and confidence.
00:19:31.696 --> 00:19:36.001
In fact, most local churches and pastors were on first-name basis
00:19:36.001 --> 00:19:39.904
With the nearby shop owners.
00:19:39.904 --> 00:19:41.573
[music]
00:19:41.573 --> 00:19:43.708
>> cody: getting a job recommendation
00:19:43.708 --> 00:19:45.310
From a place of worship
00:19:45.310 --> 00:19:46.878
Was way safer and more reliable for the immigrant
00:19:46.878 --> 00:19:48.213
And the employer alike.
00:19:48.213 --> 00:19:50.382
If someone needed a place to live,
00:19:50.382 --> 00:19:52.050
The church already knew someone in their own congregation
00:19:52.050 --> 00:19:54.352
That could provide a bed and room for rent.
00:19:54.352 --> 00:19:57.956
If you needed supplies or food, the church food banks were
00:19:57.956 --> 00:20:00.725
Already established.
00:20:00.725 --> 00:20:03.461
They could provide a number of needs, no questions asked.
00:20:03.461 --> 00:20:05.897
No matter the denomination,
00:20:05.897 --> 00:20:09.301
The church showed a united front as a landing pad
00:20:09.301 --> 00:20:12.637
For the immigrants that found themselves at square one.
00:20:12.637 --> 00:20:16.641
[music]
00:20:16.641 --> 00:20:18.476
So many of our great minds immigrated here:
00:20:18.476 --> 00:20:21.012
Albert einstein, irving berlin, bob hope, chef boyardee.
00:20:21.012 --> 00:20:24.783
Can you imagine life without spaghettios?
00:20:24.783 --> 00:20:27.218
Because i can't.
00:20:27.218 --> 00:20:28.320
And when they got here, lady liberty was waitin'
00:20:28.320 --> 00:20:31.756
For 'em.
00:20:31.756 --> 00:20:34.059
It seems america had found her american idol.
00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:35.927
From queen america to the rebellious daughter,
00:20:35.927 --> 00:20:38.830
Lady columbia, and ultimately lady liberty,
00:20:38.830 --> 00:20:42.400
Millions around the world now look to the statue of liberty
00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:46.538
As a representation of freedom, hope, and opportunity.
00:20:46.538 --> 00:20:51.810
Even as immigration has become a hot-button issue today,
00:20:51.810 --> 00:20:54.346
The u.s. still takes in over half of the world's immigrants.
00:20:54.346 --> 00:20:59.217
Why?
00:20:59.217 --> 00:21:01.152
What makes us different than other nations?
00:21:01.152 --> 00:21:02.787
It's because we still believe in our chief export:
00:21:02.787 --> 00:21:06.591
The american dream.
00:21:06.591 --> 00:21:09.694
After the discovery of the new world, we came to these shores,
00:21:09.694 --> 00:21:12.597
Hoping to find gold, but by the turn of the century,
00:21:12.597 --> 00:21:15.600
Immigrants came in search of a new kind of gold: opportunity,
00:21:15.600 --> 00:21:20.271
Freedom, the chance to build from nothing.
00:21:20.271 --> 00:21:23.141
>> male: well, i was still hopin' for some real gold.
00:21:23.141 --> 00:21:26.911
>> male: gum it, jebediah, ain't no real gold.
00:21:26.911 --> 00:21:28.880
Ain't real.
00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:30.248
None of it's real.
00:21:30.248 --> 00:21:30.982
Look-- my beard's not real.
00:21:30.982 --> 00:21:32.517
This stream, it's not real.
00:21:32.517 --> 00:21:33.985
You're just holdin' it.
00:21:33.985 --> 00:21:34.753
All right?
00:21:34.753 --> 00:21:35.954
This is all just a metaphor for the "american dream."
00:21:35.954 --> 00:21:39.524
>> cody: that dream still spurs on in millions of second, third,
00:21:39.524 --> 00:21:43.128
And fourth generation immigrants,
00:21:43.128 --> 00:21:45.597
But some in our younger generation may describe america
00:21:45.597 --> 00:21:48.733
As hateful, divided, even racist,
00:21:48.733 --> 00:21:52.003
Yet more people around the world would rather be here than
00:21:52.003 --> 00:21:55.740
Anywhere else.
00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:58.943
How do we welcome them in safely, legally,
00:21:58.943 --> 00:22:00.912
Keeping freedoms intact?
00:22:00.912 --> 00:22:03.381
Some say a bridge, some say a wall,
00:22:03.381 --> 00:22:06.317
Some say it will take massive reform,
00:22:06.317 --> 00:22:09.587
But there's one thing we should all agree on:
00:22:09.587 --> 00:22:14.159
Lady liberty should always stand in the harbor,
00:22:14.159 --> 00:22:16.327
Always welcome the outsider,
00:22:16.327 --> 00:22:18.062
Always take in the huddled masses
00:22:18.062 --> 00:22:19.130
Yearning for something more.
00:22:19.130 --> 00:22:21.900
We'll see ya next time.
00:22:21.900 --> 00:22:24.002
[music]
00:22:24.002 --> 00:22:24.002

Cody Crouch: American Idol | Centuries Collide

February 22, 2025 | S2:E14

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