Have you ever wondered how the federal government came to be referred to as “Uncle Sam”? During the War of 1812, a meat packer from Troy, New York, named Samuel Wilson supplied the U.S. Army with barrels of beef. Wilson was known around town as “Uncle Sam. So when the soldiers saw the barrels labeled with “U.S,” they assumed the letters meant “Uncle Sam.” However, the initials actually meant “United States,” and thus the two ideas combined — Uncle Sam stood for the United States of America. A newspaper picked up on the story, and as word traveled, the term “Uncle Sam” eventually became synonymous with the federal government. To learn more, visit blog.usa.gov/post/96971173881/how-the-government-became-uncle-sam.
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 02:12:50 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015