Bartholdi akafuridzirwa nemudzidzisi wezvemitemo weFrance uye wezvematongerwo enyika, Édouard René de Laboulaye, uyo anonzi akataura muna 1865 kuti chero chiyeuchidzo chakasimudzwa kuzvimiririra kweUS chaizove chirongwa chakabatana chevanhu veFrance neUS. Nekuda kwekusagadzikana kwehondo yapashure pehondo muFrance, basa pachiumbwa harina kutanga kusvika kutanga kwema1870. Muna 1875, Laboulaye akakurudzira kuti maFrance abhadhare chifananidzo uye US ipe nzvimbo uye vavake chigadziko. Bartholdi akapedza musoro uye ruoko rwunotakura tochi chifananidzo chisati chagadzirwa zvizere, uye zvidimbu izvi zvakaratidzwa kuti zvizivikanwe pakuratidzira kwenyika dzese. Mubvunzo: Ndiani Laboulaye aida kubhadhara chifananidzo?
ChiFrench