| Recently published was a global history of newspaper | | | | representative for many decades, a lean, underfed |
| cartoon figures as representatives of nations in the | | | | American known as Brother Jonathan, to mock the |
| past few centuries. Depicted were leading figures in | | | | solidarity of the American Colonists, all hanging |
| America and Britain, and other Emperors, Kaisers and | | | | together so they do not hang separately. Until |
| Kings around the world, including many known figures | | | | Abraham Lincoln. |
| such the New York City Hall bosses; old relics from | | | | After 1860, and as the intensity of the Civil War grew, |
| the Revolutionary Wars getting in the way of | | | | Brother Jonathan faded and in came Uncle Sam, who |
| progress; the first immigrants, the Irish, depicted as ugly | | | | quickly grew stronger; stood more straight and |
| little men with their pipes and funny caps, building the | | | | therefore taller, and then as soon as Lincoln began |
| new Erie Canal to open up America. | | | | growing a beard, so did Uncle Sam, as cartoons in any |
| These cartoons touch on an important and little noted | | | | American antique shop show. |
| aspect of the evolution of American antique history as | | | | And Uncle Sam now spoke with more resolution and |
| a beacon of light and hope to the oppressed or | | | | firmness than ever and as he now stood tall, he now |
| sympathetic around the globe. The cartoon book does | | | | loomed over John Bull, who backed off, as happened |
| not mention, but we shall, and already learned the | | | | in the American Civil War. Finally at this point in |
| wrong common history that the label Uncle Sam | | | | American history, John Bull was forced to respect the |
| seems to have originated during the War of 1812, | | | | little brother who was outgrowing him, and all could |
| when an elderly supplier name Sam stamped U.S. On | | | | see, the Kaisers and Emperors of the world looking on. |
| food products going to the soldiers. | | | | The book mentions that Lincoln morphs into Uncle |
| The soldiers created this legendary character Uncle | | | | Sam, but not to the extent that Uncle Sam speaks the |
| Sam. Not very inspiring, I always thought, a meat | | | | words of Lincoln, rather the firm tall resolve. So, we |
| supplier with a stamp. But let us look at these newly | | | | need to reflect beyond how much a cartoon can say, |
| released again cartoons of American antiques history | | | | more in stature and bearing, even then, and completely |
| that shows a different story. These influential cartoons | | | | so today It was not obvious to all but forgotten, and |
| played in the major British and American newspapers | | | | we should remember. |
| of their day. Uncle Sam did not appear in cartoons until | | | | It is the face, beard and eyes of Abraham Lincoln |
| Abraham Lincoln: prior to that America was a thin | | | | staring out at you from posters all over America |
| weakling named Brother Jonathan, mocking the | | | | saying Your Nation Needs You. And if you look in at |
| colonies. | | | | an American history shop, and see Uncle Sam looking |
| And since the days of the Revolutionary war, the | | | | into your eyes, remember your nation is still guided by |
| British were always represented as a corpulent John | | | | such an exceptional human being; you are soon |
| Bull, with his British bulldog, smiling and holding the | | | | swayed to the right that was in the heart of Lincoln: |
| money bags, facing off the American cartoon | | | | can be shared by you - sign here. |