Country Studies

Uncle Sam

The most cited origin story traces Uncle Sam back to a man in Troy, New York.

Sam Wilson delivered meat packed in barrels to soldiers during the War of 1812. Wilson was a well-liked man, and local residents called him "Uncle Sam."

When people around town saw those supply barrels marked "U.S." they assumed the letters meant Uncle Sam, and the soldiers adopted the same thinking. In reality, Wilson had labeled the barrels "U.S." for "United States," and so the two ideas merged—Uncle Sam became a symbol for the United States of America.