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How did teddy bears get their name? |
by Alli Rodenhauser (whyzz writer) >> more about the author
A "Bear-y" Good Time
Do you have a teddy bear or other special stuffed toy? What's it's name? Do you bring it outside to play, or do you prefer to leave it at home, safe and sound?
Make up a story starring your cuddle buddy — write it down, or maybe just draw some pictures showing the fun times it has! What kind of adventures does it go on?!?
The origin of teddy bears can be traced back to an unlikely source — the President of the United States!
In 1902, while on a hunting trip in Mississippi, Theodore Roosevelt was encouraged by his friends to shoot a bear that had been caught and tied to a tree. Roosevelt refused, saying it was unsportsmanlike, and the instance was turned into a political cartoon published in the Washington Post a few days later. It was there that a Brooklyn toy maker named Morris Michtom saw the drawing and got an idea to make some stuffed bears. As they became more and more popular, Mr. Michtom sent one of the toys to the White House as a gift, and the President himself gave permission for them to be called "Teddy's bears."
In 1902, while on a hunting trip in Mississippi, Theodore Roosevelt was encouraged by his friends to shoot a bear that had been caught and tied to a tree. Roosevelt refused, saying it was unsportsmanlike, and the instance was turned into a political cartoon published in the Washington Post a few days later. It was there that a Brooklyn toy maker named Morris Michtom saw the drawing and got an idea to make some stuffed bears. As they became more and more popular, Mr. Michtom sent one of the toys to the White House as a gift, and the President himself gave permission for them to be called "Teddy's bears."
A "Bear-y" Good Time
Do you have a teddy bear or other special stuffed toy? What's it's name? Do you bring it outside to play, or do you prefer to leave it at home, safe and sound?
Make up a story starring your cuddle buddy — write it down, or maybe just draw some pictures showing the fun times it has! What kind of adventures does it go on?!?
