The History and Creation of The Teddy Bear

Teddy bears have been around for a very long time and still they remain a very popular gift item and a favourite toy for  children. They are the choice item to gift someone on Valentine’s Day. Some might say that this is a clichés but clichés  become clichés for a reason. You cannot look a cute, soft cuddly teddy bear and not fall in love with it. The origin of the teddy bear is more political then romantic. A lot of people do not know that the toy gets its name from the  former president of the United States Theodore Roosevelt, better known as Teddy Roosevelt. Initially the toy was actually  called teddy’s bear and over time came to be known simply as a teddy bear. So why was a stuffed animal named after a  president.

The story begins on a bear hunting trip in Mississippi. There were a number of different hunters who were taking part in the  hunting trip and most of them already had experience with the sport. Roosevelt’s attendants chased down an American Black  bear with the help of hounds and then clubbed and tied it to a willow tree. The attendants invited the president to shoot the  bear but he was averse to the idea. He did however give instructions that the bear be put down so that it could be released  from its misery.

Clifford Berryman a cartoonist for the Washington Post did a cartoon on the incident. The cartoon depicted the black bear  lassoed by a white handler and a disgusted Roosevelt turning away. This image had strong political over tones. In the initial  cartoons the bear was an adult but in later ones the cartoonist depicted him as smaller and cuter. Morris Mitchom was  inspired by the bear depicted in the cartoon and had an idea to make the toy. Simultaneously in Germany the Stieff firm was  also making a stuffed bear.

The toy maker Mitchom received permission from the president for the use of his name. He made a small stuffed bear and put it  in his window with a sign proclaiming it was “teddys bear”. The toy was a huge success. Ladies could be spotted carrying it  with them everywhere. You could say they were the original Chihuahuas. Theodore Roosevelt even used the teddy bear as a  mascot during his re-election campaign. Who would have thought that an incident on a hunting trip would inspire a creation  that has lasted till today.