During the American Revolution, the United States did not have a real army. Farmers and shopkeepers grabbed their guns and fought. Some were brave, but many did not know how to march, build fortifications, or plan a battle. President Thomas Jefferson knew the country needed professional soldiers who were properly trained. On March 16, 1802, he signed a law creating the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. The school sat on a high cliff above the Hudson River. During the Revolution, American soldiers had built a fort there to block British ships. It was already a strategic spot. West Point's first class had only ten students. They studied math, science, and engineering because building bridges and forts required technical skill. Over the years, the school grew. Many of America's most famous military leaders graduated from West Point, including Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower, both of whom later became president. Today, about 4,400 students, called cadets, attend West Point. They receive a free college education in exchange for serving in the army for at least five years after graduating.