A revolution in American attitudes toward children erupted in the years following the War of Independence. Influenced by the philosophies of the Enlightenment, there was a growing recognition of childhood as a separate stage of development with its own needs—both psychological and material. Clothing designed specifically for children to play in and an increasing number of toys and educational playthings were among the manifestations of the new culture of the child. These toys not only entertained, however, but prepared their young users for the roles they were to assume later in life. Horses, soldiers, hoops, and whips were appropriate for boys, while dolls, doll furniture, and other domestic props were clearly intended to guide young girls toward motherhood and keeping house. Some toys, such as games bound parents and children together and reinforced the nuclear family constellation that had emerged during this period.

Stacy C. Hollander, "Checkerboard/Mill Game (Nine Men's Morris)," in American Anthem: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum (New York: Harry N. Abrams in association with American Folk Art Museum, 2001), 339.