The History of the Teddy Bear and Its Relationship to President Roosevelt

Where did the "Teddy Bear" come from? Was it a foreign toy? Or did the Teddy Bear originate in America?

In the year 1902, President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt made a trip to the southern part of the United States. There was a border dispute going on between the states of Louisiana and Mississippi.

President Roosevelt decided he would combine the trip to try and settle the border dispute with a bear-hunting trip.

On this bear-hunting trip, President Roosevelt had no luck in shooting a bear. But some in his party did find a young bear. They found the bear near a water hole, he was injured and a dead hunting dog was lying near-by.

When President Roosevelt got there and saw the wounded bear, he asked that the bear be put down humanely so it would not have to suffer.

There was a cartoonist traveling with the bear-hunting party. His name was Clifford Berryman. Berryman witnessed the wounded bear and President Roosevelt's plea for it to be put down humanely.

Berryman soon drew a cartoon that depicted President Roosevelt and the bear sitting on the ground next to each other.

Much to Berryman's surprise, the cartoon was published in newspapers across the entire United States. It was called "Teddy's Bear".

The original cartoon featured the bear as a fierce, mean animal. The readers were upset with this. So Berryman revised his cartoon to show a friendlier, cuddlier bear sitting next to President Roosevelt.

The improved cartoon pleased the nation and "Teddy's Bear" soon captured American's hearts.

There are several stories about who actually made the very first "Teddy Bear". But the public wildly accepted them and Teddy Bears became icons of the toy world.

Very few Americans have gone through childhood without owning and loving a Teddy Bear. In 2002, the Teddy Bear celebrated its 100th birthday.

Today, there are many varieties to choose from. There are many cottage industries that have sprung up in recent years that make Teddy Bears.

There are build-a-bear workshops where you can go to make your own Teddy Bear.