Brother Jonathan was a fictional character created to personify the entire United States, in the early days of the country's existence.
In editorial cartoons and patriotic posters, Brother Jonathan was usually depicted as a typical American revolutionary, with tri-cornered hat and long military jacket. Originally, from 1776 to 1783, "Brother Jonathan" was a mildly derisive term used by the Loyalists to describe the Patriots.
Famous quotes containing the word brother:
“Not my brother or my sister, but it’s me, O Lord,
standin’ in the need of prayer:”
—African-American hymn-writer. “Standing in the Need of Prayer,” l. 3-4.