With the election of Thomas Jefferson, the era of the Federalists was over. Jefferson immediately began to distance himself from federalist policies. This is the first of several episodes that will explore Jefferson's relationship with the military. Jefferson made several changes, shrinking the size of the standing army and reducing the size of the officer corps. Jefferson established a politically neutral officer corps, removing officers not committed to the new administration. He also established the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, to inoculate the officer corps with Jeffersonian values. His first steps in reorienting the Army were successful.

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