Uncle Sam: This famous US mascot was inspired by a real-life person
If you are familiar with the American culture, you might know about Uncle Sam. We are talking about the mascot of USA, a tall guy with white hair and moustache, wearing red and white striped pants, white shirt and a blue blazer, a red bow tie and a star-spangled top hat. This mascot is often used as a national personification for the US government or the country of USA in general. In fact, if you look at Uncle Sam and then close your eyes, you may be able to visualise the US flag. He has been around since the early 19th century as the ultimate patriotic symbol for Americans. Okay, but how did Uncle Sam originate? Not many know, but he is based on a real-life person. Curious to know more?
The tale of Samuel Wilson
If you look through American history, you will find the mention of the War of 1812 that was fought in between the USA and the UK. Legend says that during this time, two brothers named Ebenezer and Samuel Wilson ran a meat packing company in New York and supplied rations for the soldiers. Now, a certain contractor named Elbert Anderson contacted the Wilsons to pack beef for the US Army. This is when the company workers marked the meat barrels with the letters “E.A. – U.S.” When a visitor inquired what the initials meant, the employees jokingly clarified that the first referred to the contractor, while the second stood for Uncle Sam, when in fact it meant United States. Incidentally, it was the nickname of Samuel Wilson who was always a sharp dresser and had an old-man attitude even during his 30s This is what earned him the nickname Uncle Sam. When the barrels started to circulate, so did the good name of Uncle Sam. Gradually, it became a long-standing joke among the US Army that their food came from Uncle Sam, the good Samaritan.
Fun Fact: Every year on 13th September, the birth anniversary of Samuel Wilson, USA celebrates the National Uncle Sam Day.
Evolution of Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam became an iconic mascot in the aftermath of the War of 1812. In fact, he was mentioned first in the allegorical book called The Adventures of Uncle Sam: In Search of His Lost Honour penned by contemporary American cartoonist Frederick Augustus Fidfaddy. Thereafter, in the 1842 edition of Dictionary of Americanisms, a reference book by John Russell Bartlett for non-Americans and immigrants in the USA, Uncle Sam was once again glorified. Later, he was also mentioned in The Bennington newsletter as well as the newspapers The Portland Gazette and The Mercury of New Bedford. In fact, soon, Uncle Sam became quite popular as the patriotic symbol for the country and its government. However, sources say that he became the most prominent when Ulysses S. Grant, an American commander, who was obsessed with the mascot too, was nicknamed by his troops as Uncle Sam in 1879. It is also believed that it was Uncle Sam who inspired the 1917 poster by artist J.M. Flagg who was commissioned by the U.S. government to create a military recruiting poster for the upcoming World Wars.
Other mascots of the USA
Prior to Uncle Sam, there were other characters that were used to personify USA. One was Brother Jonathan, who often featured in political cartoons and patriotic illustrations as the symbol of American capitalism. In fact, after the arrival of Uncle Sam, Brother Jonathan was off the hook as he was made to symbolise the country itself, while Uncle Sam was often used to denote the government and its power.
In the pre-USA era, when it was still colonised, a woman named Columbia was also used to personify USA, too as early as 1738. Experts believe it was given by the oppressors as a sexist and weak symbol of femininity. However, when the country became independent in 1776, the natives changed the symbol to Lady Liberty, who symbolised the free status of the nation and its people.