Boat | play set:Naval War Toy

The concept of a submersible craft originated long before the 1900s, and the first military submarine, capable of accommodating a single man, appeared during the American Revolutionary War. Submarines first had a significant impact on warfare during World War I, and ultimately changed the nature of naval combat. The underwater vehicles captured the imaginations of many 20th-century American children and became the subject of various toys and games, such as this wooden submarine and dreadnought play set, a product of Philadelphia's A. Schoenhut Company.