Who Is Uncle Sam?

"Uncle Sam" is a personified representation of either the United States federal government or the United States of America in general. In finances, Uncle Sam can refer to a specific tax or regulatory authority—or more specifically, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). One might say, for instance: "I have to pay Uncle Sam a portion of my income to pay for roads and hospitals."

Understanding the Usage of "Uncle Sam"

A popular etymology first traces the origins of the usage of "Uncle Sam" to early American military history. It referred to the meat packer Samuel Wilson. From New York, Wilson supplied the army with meat for soldiers' rations.

During the War of 1812, Wilson supplied American soldiers fighting the British. Barrels of Wilson's meat were stamped "U.S." because the supplies were the property of the United States. However, since his name was Sam, those delivering the military rations used to say that the meat was a gift from Uncle Sam.

Military equipment and other supplies were also packed with the "U.S." marker, being the property of the United States. This allowed the trend of saying deliveries were a gift from Uncle Sam to spread, regardless if they were from Sam Wilson or not.

Before the 19th century, the U.S. had been personified by the figure "Brother Jonathan," originally a derogatory term for Puritans during the English Civil War. Female representations of the U.S. are also common: Columbia and, since the late 19th century, Lady Liberty.

Uncle Sam in Popular Culture

Uncle Sam is sometimes used in the financial media to refer to the federal government, particularly in the context of income taxes or financial regulation. Some tax-sheltered products, such as municipal bonds or 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:qualified retirement accounts, are sometimes referred to as "off-limits to Uncle 🧜Sam," denoting that they are no🦩t subject to taxation by the federal government.

By regulating various financial activities and transactions, such as the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) oversight of 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:mergers and acquisitions (M&A), Uncle Sam is😼 said to have "had his say" or "given his stamp of approva▨l."

The character of Uncle Sam has been widely used in U.S. government propaganda to encourage support for various policies and military efforts over the years, including the financing of these activ🐓ities, with varying economic impacts🎃.

Uncle Sam was used, for example, to promote the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:U.S. Treasury's 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:liberty bond program to finance World War I military spending, which one study showed helped drive the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:financialization of the U.S. economy during the early 20th century.

The most popular image of Uncle Sam is based on a World War I military recruiting poster drawn by James Montgomery Flagg, which features a stern Uncle Sam pointing an index finger outward and the words, "I want YOU for U.S. Army". This depiction features an older White man with a white goatee beard wearing an American flag–inspired top hat and red bow tie. His likeness has appeared numerous times since the 1910s.

The Bottom Line

Uncle Sam is a personification of the U.S. government and was created in the 19th century. Uncle Sam, based on a real person, became popular during World War I recruitment posters and remains a popular image in the U.S🐻. and around the world.

While there are other personifications of different facets of the U.S., such as Lady Liberty, which personifies America's ideals of freedom and equality, Uncle Sam only represents aspects of the U.S. government, such as taxes and military recruitment.