Founding of the U.S. Naval Academy: How Naval Education Began

Posted on Friday, October 10, 2025

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by The Association of Mature American Citizens

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On October 10, 1845, the United States laid the cornerstone of its naval education by founding the “Naval School” at Annapolis, Maryland—what would become the United States Naval Academy.

Spearheaded by Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft, the school opened on the grounds of the old Fort Severn with just 50 midshipmen and seven professors, drawn from a mission to instill scientific rigor, discipline, and professionalism in naval officers. These were not novices learning seamanship from scratch, but men already in service, poised to deepen their knowledge—mathematics, navigation, steam engineering, gunnery, chemistry, natural philosophy, English, and French were all part of the inaugural curriculum.

Initially, students alternated between classroom study ashore and sea duty aboard Navy ships. This hybrid structure reflected the era’s naval demands and the belief that a well-trained officer must master both theory and the realities of life at sea.

In 1850, the institution underwent a formal transformation: the “Naval School” was renamed the U.S. Naval Academy, and a standardized four-year curriculum—with regular summer sea training—was instituted. That structure—academic grounding, naval practice, character formation—became the bedrock of the Academy’s enduring model.

Over the decades, the Academy expanded in size, scope, and reputation. From its original 10 acres to more than 338 acres today, from 50 students to a brigade numbering thousands, and from wooden quarters to monumental stone buildings, the Academy evolved in sync with America’s naval and technological rise.

Its mission broadened, too. What began as a school to professionalize naval officers became a crucible for leadership in war and peace. Graduates have gone on to command fleets, hold national office, lead exploration, and push scientific boundaries. The Academy’s motto—Ex Scientia Tridens (“From Knowledge, Sea Power”)—reflects its conviction that intellectual depth undergirds effective maritime command.

By embedding a rigorous academic core within naval values of courage, honor, and service, the Naval Academy shaped not only individual careers but the trajectory of the U.S. Navy itself. On this anniversary of its founding, we remember the Academy’s role in forging generations of officers, strategic thinkers, and leaders dedicated to defending the seas and America’s ideals.