Liberty Tree (I), The

DESCRIPTION: "Columbus, a man of great genius, Came from the European shore [to America where] Great God himself has created A place for the Liberty Tree." Great Britain jealously tried to clamp down on the Americas, but they remain a beacon of liberty
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1939 (Thomas)
KEYWORDS: political nonballad America exploration
FOUND IN: US(Ap)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Thomas-BalladMakingInMountainsOfKentucky, pp. 47-50, "The Liberty Tree" (1 text, 1 tune) (OakEd, pp. 58-62)
NOTES [99 words]: The phrase "The Liberty Tree" is probably inspired by a publication of Thomas Paine's, itself found as a song (1775), though I don't know if it's traditional.
The piece in Thomas doesn't strike me as a real result of the folk process; it looks like one of those pieces certain teachers wrote to teach their students.
There was another song called "Liberty Tree," beginning "In a chariot of light from the riches of day"; for broadsides, see Wolf-AmericanSongSheets, p. 86. For other songs about the Tree of Liberty, and some discussion of its origin, see the notes to "The Tree of Liberty." - RBW
Last updated in version 6.7
File: ThBa047

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