Even today, he is known as the symbol of the United States. But who exactly is this Uncle Sam, famous both within and beyond America’s borders? On the occasion of your next teen language study trip to the U.S., LEC takes a closer look at the question.
Where does the name "Uncle Sam" come from?
The very origin of the nameUncle Sam— who will be referred to as Uncle Sam during his teen language study trip to the US – is very simple… You just have to know it! The term“Uncle Sam” is actually formed from the initials “US Am,” in other words: United States of America.
An expression that originated during the War of 1812
To trace the origins of the expression “Uncle Sam,” we must go back more than two centuries, specifically to the War of 1812, a conflict between the United States and the British Empire. While historians still debate the exact origins of the expression, many agree that soldiers at a military base in New York State bestowed the nickname “Uncle Sam” on their food supplier, Samuel Wilson.Uncle Sam —a nickname all the more fitting since the food crates were stamped with the letters US.
Uncle Sam, Brother Jonathan, and Columbia
Today, Uncle Sam is used as an allegory for the United States, but often refers to the country’s government itself. The figure has established its dominance over other symbols that have since faded from the collective imagination:
- Brother Jonathan, portrayed as the quintessential American revolutionary
- Columbia, the American equivalent of the French Marianne, was particularly common in political cartoons in the early 20th century
I want you to join the U.S. Army
Today, the most famous depiction of Uncle Sam is the one created by painter and illustrator James Montgomery Flagg during World War I. It shows Uncle Sam wearing a star-spangled hat, a blue jacket, and a red bow tie, pointing at the viewer and proclaiming the now-famous phrase: I want you for the U.S. Army.