Have you ever wondered where these cute little teddy bears came from? They were named for President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902.
President Roosevelt was on a hunting trip in Mississippi when members of the hunting party caught a black bear and tied him to a tree. President Roosevelt was called to the area to shoot the bear, which he refused to do and said it was unsports-man-like and showed poor manners.
The Washington Post newspaper ran a cartoon showing the President refusing to shoot the bear and people all over America saw the cartoon.
Morris Michtom, a shopkeeper in Brooklyn, New York, placed two toy bears in the window of his shop. Mr. Michtom requested permission from the President to call them Teddy Bears as Teddy is the nickname for Theodore Roosevelt. The sweet little bears with shiny button eyes were a delight with children everywhere. The Teddy Bears were made by Mr. Michtoms wife. Mr. Michtom formed a new business called the Ideal Novelty and Toy Corporation.
Today, Teddy Bears are treasured toys of children all over the world. They are also collected by people and many are displayed in museums. Teddy Bears are sold by many companies and you can find them in almost any toy store, dressed in costumes or with a ribbon around the neck.