George Washington's birthday
Description:
The custom of celebrating his birthday dates back to 1778, two years after the country's independence from Britain. In the winter of 1778, one of the military bands proceeded to the town of Welley Forge, where George Washington’s headquarters were located, and performed several marches in his honor. And so tradition was born.
Today, unofficially marking the birthday of the first president, Americans remember not only his political and military qualities, but also his honesty. In a warning to the younger generation, the famous story of the cherry tree is told.
According to one of George Washington’s early biographers, Mason Weems, little Washington was given a toy axe and, while playing, cut down his father’s favorite cherry. An angry father sternly asked who cut the cherries, and George, despite fear of punishment, boldly replied: "I can't lie." It was I who cut her down with an axe. "" In doing so, the president has earned the reputation of a man with a clear conscience in the eyes of the American people.
In memory of this case, on the birthday of George Washington, a traditional dessert is served on the table - a cake in the form of a trunk of a cherry tree decorated with cherries.
Since the mid-1970s, at the suggestion of Congress, it was decided to celebrate the day of remembrance of all US presidents. Officially, this holiday is called Presidents Day. It is celebrated on the third Monday in February, but in many states (primarily the southern states) adhere to the tradition of honoring the memory of George Washington alone.