Uncle Sam

Appearance

Physical aspect

thumb|right|350px|Related [[Andrew Jackson]] to a ticket of 20 $ In a conventional way, the Uncle Sam is represented like a great man rather old, dégingandé, carrying long grey hair and a goatee. Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States, was used as model to the character. Its political career started at the time of the Guerre of 1812, and coincides with the assertion of the character.

Vestimentary aspects

In the popular imagery, Uncle Sam is capped with a top hat to the colors of the spangled Bannière, carries a red bow tie, a jacket blue tail coat (sometimes spangled) and red and white striped pants, the whole pointing out the Drapeau of the United States.

Origin

Little story

The origin of the Uncle Sam seems to go back to the Guerre of 1812. The soldiers of the base of Troy (State of New York), receiving marked meat cases “U.S.”, interpreted with humor these initial in “ U ncle S amndt” in the honor of their supplier Samuel Wilson.

After the Statue of freedom, in New York, Uncle Sam is probably the most famous personification of the United States. In 1961, the Congress recognized with " Uncle Sam Wilson" of Troy the relationship of the symbol of the United States.

If the term “Uncle Sam” is also often used like a synonym of the United States, it sometimes more specifically indicates the US government or its emanation.

Other personifications of the United States exist, older but it were erased in front of the Uncle Sam: Brother Jonathan disappeared in the neighborhoods from the Civil war; as for the female representation Columbia, it appeared only very seldom since the years 1880.

Samuel Wilson

Samuel Wilson (September 13rd, 1766, Menotomy - July 31st, 1854, Troy) was a supplier of meats based with Troy, New York. He was born with Menotomy (Arlington, Massachusetts). A monument announces its birthplace. The parents of Wilson were originating in Greenock in Scotland. They settled in Mason, in the New Hampshire whereas Wilson was still young. Samuel and his Ebeneezer brother moved in Troy in 1789 and they assembled a trade. In 1797, Samuel Maria with Betsey Mann of Mason. The couple lived in a house on Ferry Street and had four children. Samuel Wilson is deceased in 1854 and its body rests in the cemetery of Oakwood with Troy.

During the war of 1812, the businesses of Samuel Wilson propspéraient: he had obtained a contract to provide ox to the army and he dispatched the meat salted in barrels. The barrels being the property of the government, were marked US. The soldiers joked by affirming that the barrels were marked the initial ones of the Uncle Sam. Later, the initial US ones were related to Sam Wilson. In 1961, the Congress identified Samuel Wilson like homonym of the Uncle Sam. People said that Wilson was right, reliable, honest, and devoted to its country.

Representations in the popular culture

Illustrations, posters

This style, popularized by the draftsman Thomas Nast is now quasi-universal. Recently, of the draftsmen tried to propose modernized versions of the character, but while keeping its distinctive signs.

Uncle Sam was used for the first time in a political cartoon drawn by Thomas Nast. Then it was used on several occasions to recruit in the army. During the First World War, a poster very famous for recruitment puts in scene Uncle Sam, pointing his finger in direction of the reader with the words “I want you for U.S. Army”. Created by James Montgomery Flagg in 1917, this poster was re-used during the Second world war. Since, she was very largely parodied with many variations of the original slogan.

Poster of recruitment of the First World War

The illustrator James Montgomery Flagg was born on June 18th, 1877. More than 4 million copies of the poster were printed between 1917 and 1918. The image was also used at the time of the Second world war to recruit soldiers. It comprises the legend: “I want you for US Army”.

Works of fiction

In addition to the aspect propagandist of the Uncle Sam, the character appeared as comic hero of books and cartoons. He is presented like the personification of the United States and combat for freedom.

Film

Uncle Sam , film of William Lustig produces in 1997.

The Uncle Sam appears in this film like a horrific character. Veteran died in the combat, it requires repair towards a group of teenagers which burned the American flag on its tomb.

Cartoon

There was a cartoon in the years 1980 called " Adventures of the Uncle Sam".

Cartoon

Uncle Sam . Scenario writer: Steve Darnall; draftsman: Alex Ross. Semic, February 2001, 96 p. (Semic books). ISBN 2-914082-36-3

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