Hello and welcome to this day in esoteric political history from Radiotopia.

My name is Jody Avergan.

This day, March 1852, we wish a happy birthday to Uncle Sam.

Of course, Uncle Sam is a fictional character and his origins are a tad murky and shifting,

but this is basically the date that we can call his birthday, because this was

when a cartoon by Frank Ballou made its debut in the New York Lantern Weekly.

The cartoon featured a character Uncle Sam which I think

you would probably recognize him if you looked at him now. It's basically

looks like the guy who we now know is Uncle Sam, but it was based on a man who supplied food to troops

during the War of 1812. We'll get into that origin story and how it flows into the

cartoons that then appeared throughout the second half of the 19th century

and then of course when this character really lodged itself into the public imagination

with those I want you Uncle Sam posters in World War I

listeners can you feel him pointing at you right now the guilt trip of all guilt

trips I want you to welcome my co-host for the show

Nicole Hammer of Vanderbilt and Nicole Hunter Jackson of Wesley.

Hello there.

Hello Jody.

Hey there, love that.

I was thinking about it this morning,

and I suppose it's supposed to be what it is but I never thought of it as like a guilt trip

But it kind of is it's also a rallying cry, but it really is kind of a guilt trip

...