Uncle Sam Poster History

World war i produced one of the most memorable images in american history.

Uncle sam poster history. The return of uncle sam. Visually the american public were being told that men were needed for the u s. Although the poster was originally for a magazine it was used as an effective propaganda tool to encourage army recruiting all over the u s. In flagg s version uncle sam wears a tall top hat and blue jacket and is pointing straight.

If pressed the average american might point to the early 20th century and sam s frequent appearance on army recruitment posters. Perhaps the most famous image of uncle sam was created by artist james montgomery flagg 1877 1960. The sam image quickly vanished from public following the 1918 armistice and flagg carried on with his successful career as a magazine illustrator. Library of congress washington d c.

The man in the poster represents the personification of american government. Uncle sam initials u s is a common national personification of the u s. Army recruiting poster that depicts a commanding uncle sam pointing his finger at the viewer and urging young. The collection contains examples of early civil war broadsides world war i posters including the original artwork for uncle sam as drawn by montgomery flagg.

Since the early 19th century uncle sam has been a popular symbol of the us government in american culture and a manifestation of. Government tax collection and has appeared on. Uncle sam poster history designs. During the interwar period he composed art for a number of advertising and publishing clients and even sketched celebrities of the day like prizefighter jack dempsey and actress ethel barrymore.

Uncle sam advertisement featuring uncle sam. Unfortunately as the post war era dawned the world had changed too much for flagg. When it comes to taxes you probably think of paying them to your humorless and strict uncle sam so who is uncle sam and what s his history. Federal government or the country in general that according to legend came into use during the war of 1812 and was supposedly named for samuel wilson the actual origin is by a legend.

Millions more of his iconic uncle sam poster were printed and the image continued to be just as effective. Army and it was their time to fight. The origin of the term uncle sam though disputed is usually associated with a businessman from troy new york samuel wilson known affectionately as uncle sam wilson the barrels of beef that he supplied the army during the war of 1812 were stamped u s to indicate government property. A photograph of james montgomery flagg dressed as uncle sam c.

The iconic figure of uncle sam has a long interesting history dating all the way back to the war of 1812 since then he s been an iconic symbol of the u s.