The U.S. Military Academy at West Point was established by Congress in 1802 to train soldiers in the theory and practice of military science.  According to the U.S. Military Academy website:

“West Point’s role in our nation's history dates back to the Revolutionary War, when both sides realized the strategic importance of the commanding plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River. General George Washington considered [Fort] West Point to be the most important strategic position in America…  West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in America.”