Cubbing, as it was first know, started in the United States in 1930. However, it was in 1916 when Baden-Powell published The Wolf Cub Handbook that Cubbing became an official part of scouting in England and endorsements for the program began in the United States. At that time, James E. West, BSA Chief Executive, felt that this new program might take adult leadership away from the Boy Scouts so initially he opposed the program.
It is interesting to note that in the beginning, each Cub den was led by a Boy Scout Den Chief. It wasn’t until 1936 that the position of Den Mother was added as an optional position even though Den Mothers had been helping since 1932. Still, that position was to provide support for the Den Chief. It was not until the late 1940’s to mid 1950’s that the Den Mother assumed full control of the den.
Dens were formed by age until 1986 when the phase in for grade level began, lasting until 1991. In the beginning, Wolfs were 9 year olds, Bears were 10 years old and Lions were 11 years old. They could enter Boy Scouts when they turned 12. Until 1942, when a boy joined, he would start with the Wolf rank after completing his Bobcat requirements and work his way up regardless of his age. During these early years, he could only wear his current rank and associated arrow points.
The first rank badges of Cubbing were made of felt with wide borders. The badges have Cubs, BSA embroidered on them. This is because the boys referred to as Cubs in the early years, not Cub Scouts.
Several changes were made in the early 1940's. In 1941, the Webelos rank was added. It was for a Cub who had completed his Lion badge and had also completed certain requirements for Tenderfoot, the first rank in Boy Scouts. The Webelos badge at that time looked like the Arrow of Light badge we use today. In 1942, another change was that a boy could wear all of his rank and arrow points on his uniform shirt but after completing his Bobcat requirements, he could only work on a cub rank badge relative to his age.
Cubbing became Cub Scouts in 1945. At this time the badges were changed from Cubs, BSA to Cub Scouts, BSA. There also appears to be two different types of manes on the Lion badges beginning that year. The two type of manes continued for many years on both felt and twill.
In 1949, the age level was dropped one year for both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. In the 1950's, the badges were changed from felt to a twill cloth.
1967 was the next big change in Cub Scouts. The rank of Lion was dropped and the last year of Cubs became the Webelos program. The original Webelos rank became the Arrow of Light which the badge was often referred to because of the design.
Until the Bobcat rank badge was introduced in 1972, Cub Scouts could only wear two diamond shaped badges, the Wolf to the wearer’s right and the Bear to the wearer’s left. At the same time the Bobcat badge was introduced, the Wolf and Bear were redesigned and are still used today.
In 1977, the Webelos diamond badge was introduced. This new badge was centered in the bottom of the new four badge series.
In 1982, Tiger Cubs was started as a program only associated with a Pack. At this that time Tiger Cubs were 7 year olds. 
There was no award initially, but in 1996 when a Tiger Cub graduated to the Pack, he was presented with a Tiger Cub BSA strip that could be worn just below the wearer’s right pocket. In 1986, the Boy Scouts of America began phasing an aged based program to a grade based program and at the same time they lowered the beginning time for Tiger Cubs to first grade. This would change the Webelos program a two year program.
The most recent change occurred in 2001. The Webelos badge was changed from a diamond to an oval, matching the design of the Boy Scout rank badges. For the first time since about 1941, the Webelos rank would be the only rank worn by the Cub Scout. At the same time, the Tiger Cub den became part of the Pack and in place of the old diamond Webelos badge, a Tiger Cub Badge would be worn by those who completed Tiger Cubs. On August 01, 2004, the Tiger Cubs will now wear the blue uniform shirt that is presently worn by the Cub Scouts.
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