What is Uncle Sam Day?

On September 13th, the United States honors Uncle Sam Day. The man behind the iconic image and enthralling name for the United States government, who was born on September 13, 1766, is honored on the day.

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During the war of 1812, Sam Wilson, a meatpacker from New York, was born on September 12, 1766, and sold barrels of meat to soldiers. Wilson prominently stamped "U.S." on the barrels to identify the meat for export. It wasn't long before the troops dubbed the grub a Uncle Sam delivery. As such nicknames tend to do, its fame has increased.

Uncle Sam's first drawing is different from the one we see today. In 1861, the young government representative (a starred bandana on his head and sporting a striped vest) is depicted dividing up Virginia like a butcher, according to Harper's Weekly. Uncle Sam's image would change over the years as a result of many decades.

We're grateful to German-born illustrator and cartoonist Thomas Nast for bringing the long-legged Uncle Sam to us.. Uncle Sam's debut in Harper's Weekly, as well as the starred top hat and striped pants. As his illustrator, he worked on several problems with Nast. Boss Tweed, Union recruitment, and Reconstruction were among the issues addressed.