Show indians gave americans old yankee nickname our oldest national nickname is yankee the popular story of its origin is that the indians stumbling over the pronunciation of the language of the paleface called the english Yeng hies by corruption Yeng hies became Yang hies and I 1 thence h ence yankees the settlers took back the word yankees from their dusky neighbors uncle sam as a nickname dates from the war of 1812 when one elbert anderson an army contractor visited troy an army depot the inspectors there were two brothers ebenezer and samuel wilson the latter always known as uncle sam A number of workmen one day were overhauling some casks purchased by anderson all marked E A U S one worker when asked the meaning of the marks replied in a facetious mood that he did not know unless it meant elbert anderson and uncle sam alluding to the inspector As all the supplies p purchased ur for the government were marked U S that is united states the name uncle sam stuck and has been used ever since |