The iconic Uncle Sam poster, featuring a stern figure pointing at the viewer with the caption "I WANT YOU FOR THE U.S. ARMY," was created by James Montgomery Flagg in 1917 for World War I recruitment. While this poster is widely recognized, the personification of Uncle Sam has a longer history. The legend suggests the symbol originated with Samuel Wilson, born in Massachusetts in 1766. Wilson enlisted in the Continental Army at age 14 and performed various support roles. Later, he moved to Troy, New York, and established a successful meatpacking business. Locals in Troy affectionately called him "Uncle Sam." During the War of 1812, his company supplied rations marked "U.S." to troops who knew Wilson. These soldiers connected the "U.S." on the barrels to Wilson's nickname, and the association began to spread. A local newspaper further popularized the story, solidifying Uncle Sam as a symbol of the federal government and the United States. Though some historians dispute the exact origins, Congress officially recognized Samuel Wilson as the source of the Uncle Sam symbol in 1961. For over a century, Uncle Sam has represented the US.