Who hasn’t loved a teddy bear?

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Photo by Ken Needham on Unsplash

Wait… teddy bears are actually connected to a past president, Theodore Roosevelt?

Teddy Bears are widely popular around the world. They are known for being soft and cuddly children’s toys.
While there had been stuffed toys around for years, the 1902 invention of the stuffed bear was created in different varieties: different shapes, sizes, colors, and even scents. Even today, the Teddy Bear is popularly used as a gift, often with special treats like candy or note cards.

The popularity of stuffed bears originated with Theodore Roosevelt and a hunting trip. The president was invited to join then-Mississippi’s Governor Andrew H. Longino. Unlike the others on the trip, though, Roosevelt was the only person who couldn’t locate a single bear. Finally, his assistants they managed set him up by tying a Black Bear to a willow tree. Everyone on the trip waited for Roosevelt to have the honor to shoot the bear but he refused, for it was unsportsmanlike.
The story of Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot the bear was spread and intrigued political cartoonist Clifford Berryman who decided to create a lighthearted cartoon of his refusal to shoot the bear. When the cartoon was put on the newspapers, it caught the eye of Morris Michtom, who, with his wife, created stuffed animals. He thought of creating a stuffed toy bear dedicated to the president who refused to shoot a bear and named it “the Teddy Bear.”
Ever since, the Teddy Bear has become a popular success. Want to know more? Check out https://www.history.com/news/who-invented the-teddy-bear. Now, how many Teddy Bears do you happen to have? Be honest.