M2086

Mississippi’s Teddy Bear Language Arts Curriculum 3rd Grade

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt joined a bear hunting trip in Mississippi near the Little Sunflower River, where forests and swamps had once provided rich habitats for wildlife. By this time, deforestation and overhunting had significantly reduced the area's animal populations. Roosevelt and his party searched for days without success until Holt Collier, a skilled hunter, found an injured black bear and tied it to a tree. When Roosevelt arrived, he refused to shoot the helpless bear, deeming it unfair. This act of compassion was widely publicized, inspiring a cartoon that caught the attention of a toy store owner, Mr. Michtom. He asked Roosevelt for permission to name his stuffed bears "Teddy’s bears," giving birth to the iconic teddy bear.

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