The origin of one of the national American symbols Uncle Sam is a controversial issue. First appeared in 1813, Uncle Sam combined the features of not only folklore characters, but also real people of that time. And therefore it is a collective and extractive image at the same time.
Any person who arrives in the heart of America - New York - is greeted not only by the Statue of Liberty, cinematic symbols of Columbia and Mickey Mouse, baseball fans and hamburger lovers. A tourist, wherever he goes, will see a face on T-shirts, badges and various types of souvenirs, a monument or advertising character, as well as an indispensable impersonator in a street parade, whose name is Uncle Sam.
The appearance of this well-known and easily recognizable personage, with whom the United States of America is associated, dates back to the first half of the 19th century. Moreover, at first the name appeared, and only a few decades later - a portrait of a gray-haired old man in a high top hat and a stars and stripes suit. The image of the "conscience of the nation" appealing to the country's patriots was created half a century later. Uncle Sam was approved as a personified national symbol by a decision of the US Congress on September 15, 1961. Thus, the appearance of one of the most commonly used icons in America took shape over two centuries.
At first, it was more of a symbol of hard work and conscientious private enterprise in the "camp of great opportunities." During the First and Second World Wars, calling upon citizens to fulfill their patriotic duty, Uncle Sam became the "conscience of the nation." Gradually, Uncle Sam became firmly established as a pseudonym for the US federal government. And for today's Americans, he is the personification of all government structures and state institutions in the country.
About versions of the origin of the character
As a rule, an elderly gray-haired man with a beard in a top hat and clothes in the colors of the American tricolor looks at us from the pages of newspapers and magazines, brochures and souvenirs.
Such a person has never existed. This character is partly folkloric, largely collective and extractive. Facial features were borrowed from specific people, the character was outlined as the symbolism of the image was formed.
The version that Uncle Sam arose by analogy with personifications in other countries (according to the principle of the most common male name), the most untenable of all. For the collective image of the average American, the most popular name is Joe (not Sam). For example, in the south of the country, this is Johnny Rab. And the representative of the middle strata in the United States is collectively called Joe Overage (Ordinary Joe).
According to another, historically confirmed version, the term Uncle Sam appeared as a result of the literary interpretation of the abbreviation in the name of the country. The fact is that America was not always called US or USA. Until the 20th century, the more commonly used abbreviation was US of Am or USAm. From USAm comes U Sam. Further, the decoding of the letter U, as an abbreviation of the word "Uncle" (often used in everyday life, the address "uncle"). It turns out Uncle Sam.
But Uncle Sam had real prototypes as well. One of the legends dates back to the founding of the United States. The prototype of Uncle Sam is considered a participant in the battle of 1776 at Trenton. This is an American patriot militia who, together with George Washington, crossed the Delaware River in boats.
Some historians suggest that Uncle Sam owes his appearance to a very specific person - a prospector from Northern Michigan Samuel Hill. He became famous for risking his life helping the starving miners in the Copper Harbor settlement (and this was in 1847). In addition to courage, the prospector was distinguished by a bad character and unkempt appearance. It was from him that Uncle Sam inherited a goatee, disheveled hair and a slightly rumpled headdress.
The politicization of the character began during the American Revolutionary War, when Brother Jonathan appeared in newspaper publications as a collective image of America. The character, who had the name of the Governor of Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull, stood for New England, and Uncle Sam was associated with the American government. Political symbolization became so popular in the press of that time that the image could have features of Benjamin Franklin, and later it was even identified with the personality of the 16th US President Abraham Lincoln. Each artist interpreted the image in his own way, until in the early 1870s an image of a lean old man with disheveled gray hair, in a top hat with stars, in a ridiculous red-blue-white suit began to appear in magazines. It was a graphic portrait of Uncle Sam by cartoonist Thomas Nast. Nast painted Uncle Sam slightly similar to himself, adding portrait features of the first and only president of the CSA, Jefferson Davis.
So, thanks to cartoonists and newspapermen, by 1900, Uncle Sam had become unambiguously associated with the United States of America all over the world.
The well-known portrait of Uncle Sam was created by artist James Flagg in 1917. This is a propaganda poster of a recruiting company during the First World War. Dressed in a traditional blue tailcoat and top hat, Uncle Sam with the focused face and demanding gesture of veteran Walterr Botts is calling the nation to volunteer to join the United States Army. The poster was widely circulated and was used repeatedly with other lettering, especially during times of war and conflict.
Meticulous viewers have found that the face on the poster bears some portrait resemblance to Samuel Wilson, a New York food contractor who supplied food for the American army in 1812. The packages of corned beef bore the abbreviated name of the EA supplier - US. The first letters denoted the partner to whom EA was supplied (Elbert Anderson), and the latter the name of the supplier U S (Uncle Sam Wilson). Uncle Sam Wilson was known by his nickname in his state and abroad. But the same letters were also an abbreviation for the name of the country United States. As a result of this coincidence, the soldiers who received the barrels of "Uncle Sam's grub" began to perceive it as the care of the federal government: "Oh! US! Only the federal government sent it." This legend has become very popular in the United States.
Provisions Inspector Sam Wilson is the progenitor of America's national symbol. And the abbreviation US (instead of the previously popular abbreviation U. States) as a marking began to be present on everything that is produced for the needs of the US Army.
The end of the dispute about the versions of origin was put by a resolution of the US Congress, adopted in 1961. Samuel Wilson - an honest citizen and patriot of his country - was recognized as the prototype of Uncle Sam, and the appearance of a lanky old man in a top hat is enshrined as a symbol of asceticism and strength.
In 1976, a monument was erected in the homeland of Sam Wilson (Arlington). The sculpture Uncle Sam Memorial Statue, more than 2.5 m high, depicted Uncle Sam in the famous top hat and very similar to his progenitor.
In modern versions, Uncle Sam may look different, but one thing remains traditional - an invariable top hat and an appeal to citizens that unites all Americans around the government.
Abroad, this person is often used as an illustration of the aggression and imperial ambitions of the United States. For example, antiglobalists burn posters with his image at rallies. And in the German military intelligence Abwehr America appears under the codename Samland.
Americans in this personified symbol see not only the federal government of the country, but also all state structures, including justice and the FBI. Therefore, when discussing government decisions, they jokingly say: "Uncle Sam wants …". And to anyone who turns to a government institution (be it unemployed, needy or retired), an official with a constant smile will answer: "Uncle Sam will take care of you."
Uncle Sam Day
The holiday dedicated to the personified national symbol of the country in the United States is celebrated on September 7. This is the date in 1813, when the term Uncle Sam was first mentioned in the local American newspaper The Troy Post as a synonym for the federal government. In 1852, a cartoon by the artist Frank Bellu, which is recognized as the first visual image of the national symbol of the country. So Americans who are greedy for all kinds of festivities celebrate Uncle Sam's Day twice a year, and always with the patriotism inherent in their nation.
And across the camp from millions of posters, badges and T-shirts, the stern and caring Uncle Sam is looking at his "nephews".
