Meaning
What does Knock Knock It’s The United States mean?
Knock knock it’s the United States is a catchphrase that appears in a popular YouTube video titled “History of Japan”, created by youtuber Bill Wurtz.
The video features the quote appearing in front of an image that shows an American sailboat fleet, blended with the pattern of the red-and-white U.S. flag.
A screengrab of this segment of the video became a template for the various image macro memes of the topic.
These memes are usually conveying sarcastic criticism towards the often controversial and aggressive manner of the U.S.A.’s foreign policy throughout history.
Origin
What's the origin of Knock Knock It’s The United States?
History of Japan is a 9-minute-long YouTube video that gives the viewer a quick rundown on the entire history of the country of Japan, from the very early ages to our present day history.
The video became a viral sensation at his time in 2016, gathering a whopping 72 million views as of today.
In the video, Bill explains how Japan had evolved in isolation between the 17th and the 18th century, and how the United States infiltrated the country in 1853 by strong-arming the Japanese with their overpowered military presence.
This essentially when the meme appears in the video.
Spread & Usage
How did Knock Knock It’s The United States spread?
The meme saw a larger spread mostly on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, and Facebook, starting from 2016. Ever since, it makes reappearances on these said platforms, mostly featuring jokes about the U.S. being invasive when it comes to oil reserves located in private property or foreign countries.
In 2018, Instagram page typicalterome posted a knock knock it’s the United States meme that was joking about the U.S. showing interest about a possible oil reserve located on the planet Mars.
External resources
- Reddit.com – r/unexpectedbillwurtz
- Tvtropes.org – Web Video / history of japan