The Tree of Liberty
Preserved but no longer current.
A post or tree set up by the people, hung with flags and devices, and crowned with a cap of liberty. In the United States poplars and other trees were planted during the War of Independence, "as symbols of growing freedom.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Tree of Liberty” mean?
A post or tree set up by the people, hung with flags and devices, and crowned with a cap of liberty. In the United States poplars and other trees were planted during the War of Independence, "as symbols of growing freedom.
Is “The Tree of Liberty” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.