The Cherry Tree & Other Myths about George Washington

Black cherriesGeorge Washington was the first man to be elected as President of the newly formed United States of America. Born on February 22nd, 1732, Washington began his political career in the French and Indian War as a major in the militia. After progressing through the ranks and reaching Lieutenant General (the highest rank at the time), Washington was a natural and unanimous choice for President. The most well-known of these stories is that of the cherry tree.

George Washington Chopped Down His Father’s Cherry Tree

The story of the cherry tree states that when Washington was a child of six years, his father gave him a hatchet as a gift. George was very excited to use this hatchet, and did so in abundance. One day, while chopping at various trees in his estate, George decided to cut down his father’s favorite cherry tree. When later confronted by his father, George was said to sheepishly deliver one of his most famous lines, “I cannot tell a lie,” after which he confessed to his actions. His father then forgave him because “his honesty was worth more than a thousand trees.”

This tale led people to believe that Washington was an unwaveringly honest man, completely unwilling and unable to lie. It also taught children to take responsibility for their actions and to always tell the truth. The story, while moral and admirable, is believed to be false for numerous reasons. The most obvious hint that the story may be false is that it first appeared in a biography written by Parson Weems, who never met George Washington, in 1809, ten years after Washington’s death. There are also no credible sources regarding Washington’s interactions with his father, who passed away when George was only 11 years old.

George Washington Threw A Silver Dollar Across The Potomac River

Legend tells that George Washington once threw a silver dollar straight across the Potomac River. While Washington’s military experience surely made him capable of impressive feats of strength, throwing a coin that hadn’t yet been invented across a river that is over a mile wide is probably not one of them. This rumor spread throughout our country, making people believe that Washington had almost superhuman strength, both physically and as a leader. The most likely source of this tale is the memoir of Washington’s step-grandson, George Washington Parke Custis. Custis’s memoirs include a passage about his step-grandfather throwing a piece of slate approximately the size and shape of a silver dollar across the Rappahannock River, which is only 250 feet wide on the Washington family estate. While this is still an impressive distance, it’s nowhere near the full mile it was said to be.

George Washington Had Wooden Teeth

A third myth about Washington is that he had wooden dentures. This is simply not true. While he did have awful dental hygiene (he had only one real tooth at the time of his presidency), none of his numerous sets of dentures were made of wood. His collection did, however, feature teeth made of hippopotamus ivory, gold, brass, and, last but not least, human teeth. These human teeth reportedly came from the mouths of Washington’s own slaves, which brings us to our fourth myth.

George Washington Was Staunchly Against Slavery

While it’s true that Washington freed his own slaves after his death (and no sooner), he was a slave owner for his entire life, at one point owning over 250 slaves. Though he had a change of heart in his later years, brought about by the American Revolution and the freedoms it stood for, he took little to no radical action toward the abolition of slavery in the Colonies. Despite his efforts to make a statement by freeing his slaves, George’s wife and first lady, Martha Washington, continued to own and utilize her slaves until her own death in 1802, with no intention of freeing them.

More Information About George Washington: The Man And The Myth

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