Uncle sam

Uncle Sam is a tall, thin man. He's an older man with white hair and a white beard. He often wears a tall hat, a bow tie, and the stars and stripes of the American flag.

Who is this strange-looking man? Would you believe that Uncle Sam is the U.S. government? But why do we call the U.S. government Uncle Sam?

During the War of 1812, the U.S. government hired meat packers to provide meat to the army. One of these meat packers was a man named Samuel Wilson. Samuel was a friendly and fair man. Everyone liked him and called him Uncle Sam.

Sam Wilson stamped the boxes of meat for the army with a large U.S. for United States. Some government inspectors came to look over Sam's company. They asked a worker what the U.S. on the boxes stood for. As a joke, the worker answered that these letters stood for the name of his boss, Uncle Sam.

The joke spread, and soldiers began saying that their food came from Uncle Sam. Before long, people called all things that came from the government "Uncle Sam." "Uncle Sam" became a nickname for the U.S. government.

Soon there were drawings and cartoons of Uncle Sam in newspapers. In these early pictures, Uncle Sam was a young man. He wore stars and stripes, but his hair was dark and he had no beard. The beard was added when Abraham Lincoln was President. President Lincoln had a beard.

The most famous picture of Uncle Sam is on a poster from World War I. The government needed men to fight in the war. In the poster, a very serious Uncle Sam points his finger and says, "I want YOU for the U.S. Army."

Vocabulary

Complete the sentences. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. The U.S. on the boxes _______ United States.

1. stamped

2. stood for

3. named

2. "Uncle Sam" became a _______ for the U.S. government.

1. boss

2. nickname

3. picture

3. There's a famous picture of Uncle Sam on a _______ from World War I.

1. joke

2. box

3. poster

4. Sam was a friendly and _______ man.

1. fair

2. strange

3. young

5. The U.S. government _______ meat packers.

1. liked

2. hired

3. called

6. Uncle Sam often wears a tall hat, _______, and the stars and stripes of the American flag.

1. dark hair

2. a bow tie

3. a box

7. Government inspectors came to _______ Sam's meat-packing company.

1. ask

2. stand for

3. look over

8. Sam was a meat packer who _______ meat to the army.

1. provided

2. needed

3. added

Comprehension

A. Looking for Main Ideas

Circle the letter of the best answer.

1. Everyone called Samuel Wilson ________.

1. Uncle Sam

2. a joke

3. the United States

2. Uncle Sam is ________.

1. the U.S. government

2. the government meat packers

3. the name of a government inspector

3. The most famous picture of Uncle Sam is ________.

1. on a poster from World War I

2. in a newspaper from World War I

3. when he was in the army in World War I

4. In the drawings and cartoons of Uncle Sam ________.

1. he wore the stars and stripes

2. he never had a beard

3. he had no hair

B. Looking for Details

Circle Т if the sentence is true. Circle F if the sentence is false.

1. Uncle Sam is short and thin. T F

2. Sam Wilson was a meat packer. T F

3. Everyone liked. Sam. Wilson. T F

4. Sam Wilson stamped the boxes "Uncle Sam". T F

5. The government inspectors asked Samuel Wilson what the

U.S. on the boxes stood for. T F

6. "Uncle Sam" became a nickname for President Lincoln. T F