The phrase "Who chopped down the cherry tree?" is most famously associated with the story of George Washington, the first President of the United States. According to the apocryphal story, when Washington was a young boy, he chopped down his father's cherry tree. When confronted, he admitted to the act, saying, "I cannot tell a lie, I did cut it with my hatchet."

This story is generally regarded as a myth. It was popularized by Mason Locke Weems, one of Washington's biographers, in his book "The Life of Washington," published after Washington's death. Historians generally believe that Weems fabricated the anecdote to illustrate Washington's honesty and integrity.

Here are some sources that discuss the cherry tree story and its origins:

• Mount Vernon: The Cherry Tree Story
• History.com: Washington's Cherry Tree Story Published