Uncle Sam’s Hat Additional Ounce Stamps, 2017 Sheet – Additional Postage for Letters Over 1 Ounce

The name “Uncle Sam” first came about in the War of 1812.  But it wasn’t until Thomas Nast’s political cartoons in the 1870s that the personification became well-known.  Nast took qualities from Abraham Lincoln and used them to draw Uncle Sam in his cartoons.  Nast also introduced Uncle Sam’s famous outfit – striped pants, a tailcoat, and a tall hat.

Uncle Sam was first illustrated as we know him today during World War I.  His most famous appearance was on a recruitment poster created by James Montgomery Flagg.  It featured a stern image of Uncle Sam declaring, “I Want YOU For U.S. Army.”  The poster was printed over four million times and was so successful that it is still a national icon over 100 years later.