Davy Crockett Ceremonial Hatchet, 1835
date: label: associated date
content: 1835
name: label: associated person
content: Crockett, Davy
notes: label: Description
content: Use of the axe as a political symbol dates to the era of Congressman Davy Crockett (1786–1836). Like his fellow Whigs, Crockett recognized the political value of assuming a self-effacing personality. His partisans played along. The Young Men’s Whig Association of Philadelphia, for example, presented Crockett with this ceremonial silver, mahogany, and ivory-tipped hatchet in 1835. One side of its head is engraved, “Crockett.” The other side is engraved with his motto, “Go Ahead.”
topic: label: general subject association
content: Political Campaigns
setName: label: See more items in
content: Political History: Political History, Campaign Collection
label: See more items in
content: Government, Politics, and Reform
label: See more items in
content: American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
label: Exhibition
content: American Democracy
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: PL.030118
label: catalog number
content: 030118
label: accession number
content: 13152
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Tomahawk
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: ivory (?? material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal, silver (head material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (handle material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 17 in x 6 in x 1 in; 43.18 cm x 15.24 cm x 2.54 cm