There is no story that demonstrate’s George Washington’s honesty than the story of him chopping down the cherry tree and later confessing to it. But the story itself is of shady origin with little but widespread legends to account for the fact. But the reason of its existence and creation today center around the need for a stainless American icon to gather under.
The story was first popularized by Weem in one of his biography of George Washington. It is important to realize that Weem was mostly interested in two things: spreading “good” and making money by appealing to the common people. Weem realized he could accomplish both by making a saint out of George Washington. In that way, the morals would be spread and the common people would clamor to read what they wanted to read about their hero, fiction or real. Weem shaped his Washington to his standards and cut out everything that didn’t apply such as his lack of children and the fact that he owns slaves. If Weem was witholding information to sculpt the ideal Washington, then fabricating information wouldn’t be that far of a step. But Weem wasn’t the only one creating a Washington. William Thayer also told the story of the cherry tree with his own flair. Instead of George simply confessing to the crime, Thayer inputs him protecting a slave boy in the process also. This edit is simply to emphasize George Washington’s compassion to slaves at the whim of the author. What happened here was no different than stating George Washington prayed at Valley Forge in order to put him in a pious light. Or that George Washington was born as an unprivileged child (he was an agricultural upper class child) in order to make him easily relatable to the common man. Given the variations of the story and the biased intent of the authors, the story lacks historical evidence to deem it undeniably true.

But if it lacks evidence as it does now, why then was it created and ,more importantly, why does it still exist today? George Washington was a very popular man of his time even without his fable childhood. He was the war general that delivered America to victory. He was the reluctant first ruler of the nation. There was not a more perfect match to attatch a fable underlining honesty. The people loved Washington and this story was created to re-affirm their affection and almost-worship-reverence. As to why it still exists today? The people’s love of Washington has integrated him itself into the very identity of America. If all of America were to see him as a national figure, we want to see the best of him. And what better side of him to potray than his honest confession to chopping down his father’s most prized tree? It is only until we look deeper into the story that we discover that this story is not as honest as the Washinton it potrays is.

The problem of US nationalism can be divided into two main categories: the lack of past to rely on and the internal divisions of the country. George Washington became a national icon that encompassed all of America. Instead of history or tradition, his identity and character was enough to be the base for the country’s identity. Furthermore, George Washington became a person all citizens could identify and use to promote for their own campaign.
George Washington’s image and action set the standard for many fields. For example, he defined his office by his humble disposition as the first President. Reluctant to accept, humble to use, and willing to relinquish his power, Washington further defined America as the country for the people by limiting his own time in power. Never portraying himself as a despotic king or tyrant, Washington displayed a sense of humility that would be admired (and expected in the traditional 2 year term) for many years to come. But it wasn’t just the government that George redefined. He became a moral leader through the spread of civil texts. His reverence was comparable to the fame and renown of a religious figure. The stories of his honesty (ex: the cherry tree) and pure character became the standard for children for generations. By setting a bar in government in his life and a moral standard after his passing, George Washington gave a legacy to his country and its people that would later be incorporated into US nationalism.

But the lack of history of precendence wasn’t the only problem facing US nationalism. Internally, there were splits that threatened to dissolve the nation. Among these were the Federalists and the Republicans. George Washington’s legacy managed to bind  these groups with his famous Farewell Address and non-partisan image. His Farewell Address warned the common people of the dangers of division and the consequences should it progress. By demonstrating that he wasn’t a part of any group, George Washington could be used and interpreted by both Federalist and Republicans to support their views. Another internal divison that pervaded the nation at the time was of its stance to slavery. Washington had owned more than 300 slaves but emancipated all of them on his deathbed. Abolitionist were quick to point out that their first President was promoting the ideals of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness even for slaves. However, pro-slave holders could also point out the familial connection between George Washington and his slaves and how both parties benefited. Despite their different views, both parties found common ground in looking toward Washington as their models.
As a nation found on radical principles that upset all ideas of divine right, America was a first with little precedent to rely on. George Washington became that base for which the government and citizen would come to emulate. He would also serve to be common root for which all Americans, Federalist or Republican, Abolitionist or slaveholder, would try to identify with. In the first decades of America it would be no exaggeration for George Washinton to be named Everyone’s Hero.