what book is the statue of liberty holding

The Statue of Liberty does not hold a traditional book; instead, she holds a large copper tablet (often described as a “book‑like” tablet) inscribed with the date “JULY IV MDCCLXXVI” (July 4, 1776), the day the United States adopted the Declaration of Independence.

What the tablet represents

• The tablet in her left hand symbolizes law, democracy, and the Rule of Law , echoing the U.S. Constitution and the legal foundation of American government.

• The 1776 date ties the statue directly to the birth of the United States as an independent nation , highlighting ideals of freedom, self‑government, and enlightenment.

Why people think it’s a “book”

• The tablet is tablet‑shaped (a “tabula ansata,” or tablet with lugs/handles) and sits in her hand much like a book, so many accounts loosely call it a “book of law” or the “book of freedom.”

• This imagery reinforces the idea that liberty rests on written laws and knowledge , not just on the torch of light in her other hand.

So, if you’re summarizing for a quick scoop: the Statue of Liberty is holding a tablet engraved with July 4, 1776—symbolizing the Declaration of Independence and the rule of law, not a particular titled book.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.