The History of Teddy Bears

Origin

• As the story goes, Roosevelt was hunting in Mississippi and did not find anything to shoot. His companions caught a bear and tied it to a tree, but Roosevelt refused to shoot a captive animal.

Cartoon

• Cartoonist Clifford Berryman recreated the bear hunting scene in the pages of "The Washington Post."

Teddy's Bear

• After Berryman's cartoon appeared, toymakers Morris and Rose Michtom began selling "Teddy's Bear" in their Brooklyn toy shop.

Ideal Novelty and Toy Company

• The teddy bear became an instant hit. The Michtoms co-founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company to mass produce their bears.

Teddy Bear Craze

• The teddy bear craze that began in 1902 is comparable to the enthusiasm for Cabbage Patch Kids and Beanie Babies in the modern era.

Political Symbol

• The popularity of the bear story and the new stuffed teddy bear prompted Roosevelt to use a bear as his signature symbol in the 1904 presidential election.