The real man who inspired Uncle Sam

Article excerpt

Uncle Sam, the bearded patriarch who has pointed at Americans from posters for generations, was inspired by a real person: Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York. During the War of 1812, Wilson supplied barrels of beef to the U.S. Army, stamping them with "U.S." for United States, but soldiers began calling the provisions "Uncle Sam's." The nickname eventually became shorthand for the federal government itself. CBS News visits Troy to explore how a local businessman's wartime contract transformed into one of America's most enduring symbols.