Kids say the darnedest things: introducing Uncle Sam

In the cast of American characters there are some more elusive than others. George Washington was our first president, Paul Revere warned us that the British were coming and Sam Adams really didn’t like tea. Enter Uncle Sam.

He’s nothing more than the personification of a campaign to recruit troops for World War I and World War II. His actual origins are shaded in lore, and his popularity as a national symbol has dwindled since the 20th century.

So we introduced children to the imposing man in the star-spangled hat to see what they had to say about their long-lost Uncle Sam.

Their initial reactions were, well, see for yourself.