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West Point Fortifications Map, Revolutionary War Period

United States Military Academy Department of Geography · 2008

A modern annotated map of West Point's Revolutionary War defenses, the fort Arnold planned to hand over to the British.

Shows the fortifications at West Point, the fort Arnold commanded and planned to surrender to the British.

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Annotated map of the Hudson River at West Point showing Revolutionary War fortifications. Labels include Constitution Island, Redoubts 3, 4 and 5, Fort Arnold, Fort Putnam, Fort Webb, Fort Willys, Fort Meigs, Gravel Hill Battery, Rattan's Battery, Marine Battery, the Great Chain across the river, and a Boom. Marsh areas are shaded green and the river is shown in light blue.
United States Military Academy Department of Geography, Map of West Point Fortifications, 2008.

About this source

What it is

This is a modern map, created in 2008 by the United States Military Academy Department of Geography, showing the fortifications built at West Point during the Revolutionary War, between 1775 and 1783.

Why it matters

West Point was a key American stronghold on the Hudson River. As commander there, Benedict Arnold secretly agreed to help the British capture it. This map labels features such as Fort Arnold, Fort Putnam and the Great Chain stretched across the river, helping students understand the scale and importance of the site Arnold tried to betray.

Look closer

  • Why would controlling this stretch of the Hudson River matter so much to both armies?
  • What does the name 'Fort Arnold' on the map tell you about his role before his betrayal?
  • How might a map like this help explain why the British wanted West Point so badly?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Benedict Arnold on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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