The long road to Annapolis: The naval academy debate and emerging nationalism in the United States, 1775--1845 (Maryland)

A national debate regarding the establishment of a naval academy in the United States began during the Revolutionary War and continued until the founding of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1845. The naval academy debate, at its most basic level, was a debate about the type of nation the United States would become at home and abroad. During the nation's early years, the navy had a strictly defensive mission and needed officers skilled in seamanship, navigation, and naval combat. Practical instruction aboard ships at sea was the best way to produce such officers. This informal system of professional education also conformed to the predominant attitudes of Americans at the time, especially the common fear of a professional military establishment and the belief that the United States should remain a simple agrarian republic with a minimal naval force. As the United States developed, both as a society and as a participant in world affairs, the traditional system of education at sea became obsolete. In the period after the War of 1812, heightened nationalism strengthened America's commitment to commercial expansion around the world. This required naval officers who were not just skilled warriors but also capable diplomats, explorers, and, with the development of steam power in naval vessels, engineers. Officers were also expected to be gentlemen of good moral character.; By 1845, a naval academy had become a necessary national institution according to a particular type of American nationalism largely promulgated by the emerging middle class, whose culture and values were becoming predominant. The middle class viewed the United States as a nation of progress characterized by commercial wealth, scientific and technological advancement, professionalism, and moral improvement. Defending the republic was no longer the navy's sole responsibility. Naval officers were also responsible for expanding and improving the American republic. A naval academy was thought to be the best educational environment for producing officers and gentlemen who could defend the United States on the high seas, serve as effective representatives of American interests abroad, and contribute to America's mission of economic, scientific, and moral progress.