The Hudson Valley in the American Revolution

For much of its history, the Hudson Valley consisted of a network of isolated towns, villages, farms, and fortresses connected by one main thoroughfare: the Hudson River. The Hudson River was not only the primary trade route connecting Canada and the Great Lakes to New York City, but also decisive terrain in military operations throughout the colonial era – particularly during the American Revolution. For this reason, the Hudson Valley was famously referred to by George Washington as “the key to the continent.”

The purpose of this project is to represent this era of the Hudson Valley's history in a series of interactive story maps. To accomplish this, participating cadets and faculty will compile and consolidate historical maps, modern aerial and ground imagery, and eventually employ unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to improve some existing products, create new ones, and leverage them in support of education and outreach. This series will explore Hudson Valley battlefields, historical sites, roads, fortifications, etc. pertaining to the Revolutionary War to provide a platform representing each of them as part of a whole, interconnected, and even dependent network. In this manner, the disciplines of GIS and history will come together to provide students, educators, and researchers a consolidated venue where they can better understand and visualize the struggle to control the Hudson Valley during the Revolution.