“Washington Cuts Down the Cherry Tree” is a short story in American history about the boyhood of the first president, George Washington. In the article “Washington and the Cherry Tree”, young Washington cuts down a cherry tree in his family, admits his mistake to his father, and is forgiven.

But archaeologists found that Washington’s childhood home was on a steep wall along the Rappahannock River in Virginia, and there was no evidence that cherry trees were ever planted there.

Story content

Washington was honest as a child.

One day, his father gave him a small axe. The little axe was new and new, small and sharp. Little Washington was happy. He thought: my father’s big axe can cut down a big tree, can my small axe cut down a small tree? I’m going to give it a try. He saw a cherry tree on the edge of the garden, and it was swaying in the breeze, as if beckoning to him: “Come on, little Washington, try your little axe on me!”

Little Washington ran over happily, raised his small axe and chopped at the cherry tree, one stroke, two strokes… The cherry tree fell to the ground. He also used a small axe to cut off the branches and leaves of the small tree, put the small tree stick between his legs, held the small axe in one hand and the small tree stick in the other, and played a game of horseback riding in the garden.

When his father came home, he was very angry when he saw the cut down tree, because this cherry tree cost a lot of money to buy, and it was Washington’s father’s favorite tree.

Washington saw that his father was very angry, and although he was very afraid of being punished, he still summoned the courage to say to his father: “Dad, I cut the cherry tree! I just want to try whether the axe you gave me is very sharp.”

His father saw that Washington had the courage to admit his mistake, and instead of punishing him, he praised him greatly: “My good boy, your honesty makes me very happy, because even ten thousand cherry trees are not as good as an honest one. child!”

Story questioned

Pseudo-biographical stories about childhood Washington, including his lack of scavenging — not picking up silver coins by the side of the road; and his courage to admit his mistakes after cutting down his dad’s cherry tree, when he said, “I can’t lie, Dad.”

This anecdote It was first written by biographer Parson Weems, who, after his death in Washington, interviewed people who knew his childhood Washington. Weems’ Washington Biography was reprinted several times in the 19th century. Adults use these historical stories to educate children about morality from an early age, and national heroes like Washington are certainly role models to learn from.

After 1890, however, historians insisted that these historical stories should be tested scientifically. There is no evidence for the story of the Cherry Tree other than Weems’ biography. In 1904 Joseph Rodman discovered that Weems had plagiarized rumors from a collection of stories about Washington published in England. There is no other source for the Cherry Tree story, and Weems’ reliability has been called into question.

Classic Washington adage

In every country knowledge is the surest basis of public happiness. I wish I myself had enough courage and virtue to maintain what I consider to be the most enviable qualities of all titles.

Don’t promise others easily what you are not capable of doing. Once you promise others, you must fulfill your promise.

True friendship is a slow-growing plant. If freedom flows to indulgence, tyrannical devils take advantage of the opportunity to invade.

Friendship is like a tree. It needs to be cultivated slowly before it can grow into a true friendship. It has to pass through difficulties and tests before it can last forever.

The advancement of a country depends on everyone’s diligence, hard work, and progress, just as the decline of a country is due to everyone’s laziness, selfishness, and depravity.

The true measure of a friend is deeds, not words; those who ostensibly say good things are actually far from it.

I’m more terrified of our own internal strife than the enemy’s plotting against us.