Public universities began in the late 18th century, funded by
the sale of lands in the Northwest Territory. Some of the
earliest universities chartered were the University of Georgia
in 1785 and the University of North Carolina in 1789. By 1820, a
dozen state universities existed, but they were small and under-
funded. One of the more notable was the University of Virginia,
chartered in 1819, inspired by the vision of its founder Thomas
Jefferson. UVA was noteworthy for its lack of religious
affiliation and its commitment to more practical secular
studies, unlike other early state universities, such as the
Universities of Georgia and South Carolina. After the War of
Independence, George Washington and other American leaders saw
the need for a military academy to train engineers and
artillerists and end reliance on foreign countries’ officers. In
response, in 1802 the U.S. government founded the United States
Military Academy at West Point, north of New York City on the
Hudson River , one of the most important