West Point Opens: America's Military Academy Founded
President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation establishing the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, on March 16, 1802, creating the nation's first professional school for military officers. Before West Point, American armies relied on foreign-trained officers or battlefield promotion of amateurs. The academy's curriculum combined engineering, mathematics, and military science, producing graduates who built the nation's early infrastructure as well as its defenses. West Point alumni designed the Erie Canal, mapped the Western frontier, and led both sides during the Civil War. Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant both walked these grounds before facing each other across battle lines.
July 4, 1802
224 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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