Uncle Sam (initials U.S.) is a common national personification of the American government that, according to legend, came into use during the War of 1812.
Legend says Sam Wilson was a meat packer in New York, who supplied rations for the soldiers. They had to stamp their contractors name and where the rations were coming from, onto the food they were sending. On the package, it was labeled “EA – US”. When someone asked what that stood for, a coworker joked and said “Elbert Anderson (the contractor) and Uncle Sam,” referring to Sam Wilson, though it actually stood for United States.
The well-known «recruitment» image of Uncle Sam was created by James Montgomery Flagg in 1917. It was this image more than any other that set the appearance of Uncle Sam as the elderly man with white hair and a goatee wearing a top hat with red and white stripes and white stars on a blue band, and red and white striped trousers. This image was used as a poster to encourage recruitment in the United States Army during World War I. It showed Uncle Sam pointing at the viewer with the caption «I Want YOU for U.S. Army». Over four million copies of the poster were printed during World War I, and it was revived for World War II.
Vamos a practicar con el siguiente ejercicio.
Exercise:
Choose the correct option:
According to James Heintze, the initials “US” we stamped on …………………. .
a) meat trunks
b) meat bags
c) meat barrels
Comprobar la solución haciendo click aquí.
