“Uncle Sam,” as a personification of the United States, certainly goes back to the early days of the nation, emerging soon after the American Revolution. Everyone agrees that his name is an expansion of the abbreviation “U.S.” for “United States,” which first appears in documents written by the founders in 1776. Since then, the character of Uncle Sam has become a beloved American icon. In this post, we’ll explore the development of the image of Uncle Sam, its relationship with the related images of “Brother Jonathan” and “Yankee Doodle,” and its becoming iconic through cartoons and advertisements of the 19th century.
“Uncle Sam,” as a personification of the United States, certainly goes back to the early days of the nation, emerging soon after the American Revolution. Everyone agrees that his name is an expansion of the abbreviation “U.S.” for “United States,” which first appears in documents written by the founders in 1776. A popular story says that the phrase “Uncle Sam” originally referred to Samuel Wilson, a meatpacker from Troy, New York, who had a contract with the U.S. Army during the War of 1812. According to the story, his crates were stamped “U.S.” because they were destined for the Army, but locals in Troy believed the abbreviation meant “Uncle Sam,” which was Wilson’s nickname. The legend is then said to have grown from there. Recent discoveries of the moniker “Uncle Sam” from significantly before the War of 1812 and Wilson’s contracts, however, suggest a different origin for the name. In this post, we’ll explore why the Samuel Wilson story will probably keep being told, even though these discoveries make it almost certainly untrue. The reasons involve tourism, regional pride, and the symbolic meanings we ascribe to America itself.
“Uncle Sam,” as a personification of the United States, certainly goes back to the early days of the nation, emerging soon after the American Revolution. Everyone agrees that his name is an expansion of the abbreviation “U.S.” for “United States,” which first appears in documents written by the founders in 1776. A popular story says that the phrase “Uncle Sam” originally referred to Samuel Wilson, a meatpacker from Troy, New York, who had a contract with the U.S. Army during the War of 1812. According to the story, his crates were stamped “U.S.” because they were destined for the Army, but locals in Troy believed the abbreviation meant “Uncle Sam,” which was Wilson’s nickname. The legend is then said to have grown from there. Recent discoveries of the moniker “Uncle Sam” from significantly before the War of 1812 and Wilson’s contracts, however, suggest a different origin for the name. Wherever the name came from, the character of Uncle Sam is a beloved American icon. In this post, we’ll explore the name and the character of Uncle Sam.
