There are not very kinds of toys whose appeal lasts and lasts without end, and teddy bears are one of those toys. Their universal popularity has continued uninterrupted for generations, and I imagine it will for many more. Toy bears, however, were not always such a universally beloved children's toy. They were created in the twentieth century, after a somewhat shocking turn of events.
Teddy bears received their name from American President Theodore Roosevelt, since "Teddy" is the short form of the name "Theodore". In 1902, President Roosevelt attended a hunting trip with the governor of Mississippi along with a number of others. During this trip they had a bear-hunting competition, and everybody had killed a bear aside from Roosevelt. Some members of Roosevelt's entourage tried to help him win the competition by capturing and subduing a bear, then summoning Roosevelt to come shoot it. But Roosevelt felt this was cheating and refused to shoot the bear. But the bear had been badly injured during its capture, prompting Roosevelt to order it be put down.
This incident was widely reported in the media, and was made into a political cartoon in the Washington Post. One person who saw the media coverage was a toy creator named Morris Michtom, who was inspired to create a new toy based on the bear in the incident. He created cute stuffed bears and placed them in his shop window, with a signing reading "Teddy's Bear", a smart way to capitalize on the publicity. The bears instantly skyrocketed to the heights of popularity, causing Michtom to make his business larger by starting the Ideal Novelty & Toy Co.. By 1906 many unrelated companies started selling the same kind of toy, and they soared to the highest heights of popularity.
In today's world teddy bears continue to be the most universally loved of all children's toys, beloved by children and adults alike all around the globe. It might seem odd that such an unfortunate event started this mania for adorable stuffed animals for kids, but perhaps the joy that teddy bears have given to the world have made something good out of that unfortunate situation.
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