TY Samuel the Uncle Sam Bear

Where did the name Uncle Sam come from?

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The nickname Uncle Sam was born September 7, 1813.

Samuel Wilson was a meat packer from Troy, NY.

His company supplied barrels of beef to the U.S. Army during the War of 1812.

Samuel Wilson stamped the barrels he packed for the Army with “U.S.”

The soldiers began referring to the meat as “Uncle Sam’s”

A local newspaper wrote about the barreled meat being referred to as “Uncle Sam’s” and the nickname became popularized.

A political cartoonist, Thomas Nast, sketched the image that we know today as the man with a beard dressed in red, white, and blue and top hat. The image stuck with the nickname.

Thomas Nast is the same cartoonist who sketched the modern image of Santa Claus, the donkey that represents the Democratic Party, and the elephant that represents the Republication Party.