Show original uncle sam ci citizen lizell ol of troy N Y uncle sam of the long ion white liala striped trousers and starred who stands for or tho tha united states in cartoons was originally a real poison person n citizen of troy N Y about a hundred years ago the way the term teim came to be applied to the united states government happened in this manner shortly after the war of 1812 elbert anderson andersen of new york who was a contractor of the army rant to troy to purchase some provisions it was andersons Ander sens habit to stamp all boxes containing the goods with his initials and those of the united states so BO that on the end of each box bos sent put out were the letters II 11 A and U S before each box went out it had to be inspected and one of the inspectors was an old man popular among his as so clates for his vit and good humor named samuel wilson around the inspecting rooms lie he was known as uncle sam one time a new man in the office asked an employee cihal the letters on the boxes 11 A and U S stood for the man thinking to tense uncle sam a bit answered E A for elbert anderson who contracts for the supplies lei and U S tor for uncle sam who inspects them the joke spread and before long the letters U S became generally applied to the name uncle sam when cartoonists looking for a popular figure to I 1 personate impersonate m the united states heard tl the le tale they used the characteristic te uncle sam of the inspecting injecting room dressed in lag flug like clothes clothe |