History of West Point
West Point’s role in our nation’s history dates to the Revolutionary War when both sides realized the strategic importance of the high plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River. In fact, General George Washington considered West Point to be the most important strategic position in America.
Continental soldiers first occupied this key location on January 27, 1778, after the harsh winter froze the Hudson and allowed a Connecticut militia unit to cross the river and set up camp here. Thereafter, the Continental army fortified the site with forts, walls, and canon batteries to defend against British ships traveling the Hudson River.
The Continental army considered the British navy such a threat that they built a huge iron chain to block the span of river between West Point and Constitution Island. Known as the Great Hudson River Chain, it had 2-foot links stretching the length of six football fields. Incredibly, the obstacle worked and the British never attempted to run the river at West Point. After the war, the Great Chain was melted down for iron, but a small segment is still on display at the Academy.
During some of the Revolutionary War, West Point was known as Fort Arnold — after its commander at the time, Benedict Arnold. But after his treasonous activities were uncovered in 1780, Arnold fled to the British side, and West Point was renamed, Fort Clinton. Though the fort was used for training cadets in engineering starting as early as 1794, it wasn’t until 1802 that President Thomas Jefferson officially established the United States Military Academy at West Point. It was the first military school in our new nation.
In 1812, ten years after establishing the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the growing threat of another war with Great Britain resulted in congressional action to expand the academy’s facilities and increase the number of men trained and educated there. Then, beginning in 1817, the Academy was expanded once again, and the school became one of the nation’s finest sources of civil engineers. Today, the U.S. Military Academy is under the general direction of the department of the U.S. Army.
History of West Point
Randall acts as the lead writer for ColdWater’s Drive Thru History® TV series and Drive Thru History® “Adventures” curriculum.
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