List of conflicts in the United States facts for kids

Fort Caroline was an early French settlement in Florida.

This page lists important conflicts that have happened in the United States. These events are listed in order from older times to more recent history. This list includes many types of conflicts. You will find information about Indian wars, wars of independence, and world wars. It also covers smaller fights called skirmishes and battles. Sometimes, periods of civil unrest are included. These can be riots, massacres, or terrorist attacks. The list covers events that happened within the United States and its territories.

Conflicts in the Late Modern Period
- The 18th Century: A New Nation's Fights
- The 19th Century: Growth and Division
Conflicts in Contemporary History
- The 20th Century: World Wars and Social Change
  - Early 1900s to Mid-Century (1900–1950)
  - Mid-Century to End of Century (1950–2000)
- The 21st Century: Modern Challenges
Images for kids
See also

Conflicts in the Late Modern Period

The 18th Century: A New Nation's Fights

The 18th century saw the birth of the United States. It was a time of many important conflicts. The most famous was the American Revolutionary War.

1775–1783 American Revolutionary War

This war was fought for America's independence from Great Britain. It included many key battles: * 1775 * Battles of Lexington and Concord: These were the first battles of the war. * Battle of Bunker Hill: A major early battle near Boston. * 1776 * Battle of Long Island: A large battle in New York. * Battle of Trenton: A surprise attack by George Washington's army. * 1777 * Battle of Princeton: Another key victory for the Americans. * Battle of Saratoga: A turning point in the war. * Battle of Germantown: A fight for control of Philadelphia. * 1778 * Battle of Monmouth: A long and hot battle in New Jersey. * 1781 * Battle of Cowpens: An important American victory in the South. * Siege of Yorktown: The final major battle where the British surrendered.

1777–1794 Cherokee–American wars: Conflicts between American settlers and the Cherokee people.
1785–1795 Northwest Indian War: Fights between the United States and Native American tribes in the Ohio Valley.
1786–1787 Shays' Rebellion: A rebellion by farmers in Massachusetts.
1791–1794 Whiskey Rebellion: A protest by farmers against a tax on whiskey.
1798–1800 Quasi-War: An undeclared naval war between the United States and France.

The 19th Century: Growth and Division

The 19th century was a time of expansion and internal conflict for the U.S. The Civil War was the most impactful event.

1811 Tecumseh's War: A conflict led by the Shawnee chief Tecumseh.

* Battle of Tippecanoe: A key battle in Tecumseh's War.

1812–1815 War of 1812: A war between the United States and Great Britain.

* 1812 * Siege of Detroit: An early British victory. * 1813 * Battle of Lake Erie: A major naval victory for the U.S. * 1814 * Burning of Washington: British forces burned parts of Washington D.C. * Battle of Baltimore: The defense of Fort McHenry inspired the national anthem. * 1815 * Battle of New Orleans: A major American victory after the peace treaty was signed.

1813–1814 Creek War: A conflict involving the Creek Native Americans.
1817–1818 First Seminole War: Fights between the U.S. and the Seminole people in Florida.
1832 Black Hawk War: A conflict in the Midwest involving the Sauk and Fox tribes.
1835–1842 Second Seminole War: Another long conflict with the Seminole.
1835–1836 Texas Revolution: Texas fought for independence from Mexico.

* Battle of the Alamo: A famous siege where Texan defenders were defeated. * Battle of San Jacinto: The decisive battle where Texas won independence.

1846–1848 Mexican–American War: A war between the U.S. and Mexico. The U.S. gained a lot of land.

* Battle of Palo Alto: The first major battle of the war. * Occupation of Santa Fe: The U.S. took control of Santa Fe. * Battle of Monterey: A key battle in northern Mexico. * Taos Revolt: An uprising in New Mexico against U.S. rule.

1854–1858 Bleeding Kansas: A period of violence over whether Kansas would allow slavery.
1861–1865 American Civil War: A war between the Union (North) and the Confederacy (South) over slavery and states' rights.

* 1861 * Battle of Fort Sumter: The start of the war. * First Battle of Bull Run: The first major land battle. * 1862 * Battle of Shiloh: A very bloody battle in Tennessee. * Battle of Antietam: The bloodiest single day in American history. * Battle of Fredericksburg: A major Confederate victory. * 1863 * Battle of Chancellorsville: Another Confederate victory. * Siege of Vicksburg: A key Union victory that controlled the Mississippi River. * Battle of Gettysburg: A major turning point in the war. * Battle of Chattanooga: A Union victory in Tennessee. * 1864 * Battle of the Wilderness: A brutal battle in Virginia. * Siege of Atlanta: A long siege leading to the capture of Atlanta. * Battle of Mobile Bay: A major naval victory for the Union. * Battle of Nashville: A decisive Union victory in Tennessee. * 1865 * Battle of Bentonville: One of the last major battles. * Battle of Appomattox Court House: Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant, ending the war.

1862 Dakota War of 1862: A conflict between the U.S. and the Dakota people.
1863–1865 Colorado War: Conflicts in Colorado, including the Sand Creek Massacre.
1866–1868 Red Cloud's War: Fights over control of the Bozeman Trail.
1876–1877 Black Hills War: A war against the Lakota and Cheyenne.

* Battle of the Little Bighorn: A famous battle where Native American forces defeated U.S. troops.

1877 Nez Percé War: A conflict with the Nez Percé tribe.
1877 Great Railroad Strike of 1877: Widespread labor unrest.
1878 Lincoln County War: A violent conflict in New Mexico.
1881 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral: A famous shootout in Arizona.
1890–1891 Ghost Dance War: Conflicts related to the Ghost Dance movement.

* Wounded Knee Massacre: A tragic event where many Lakota people were killed.

1892 Homestead Strike: A violent labor dispute at a steel plant.
1894 Pullman Strike: A nationwide railroad strike.
1898 Spanish–American War: A war between the U.S. and Spain. The U.S. gained new territories.

Conflicts in Contemporary History

The 20th Century: World Wars and Social Change

The 20th century brought two major world wars and many social changes. These changes often led to conflicts within the U.S.

Early 1900s to Mid-Century (1900–1950)

1910–1919 Border War: Conflicts along the U.S.-Mexico border.
1914–1918 World War I: The U.S. joined the war in 1917.

* Preparedness Day Bombing: A bombing in San Francisco. * Black Tom explosion: German agents caused a large explosion in New Jersey. * Attack on Orleans: A German U-boat attacked a tugboat off Cape Cod.

1919 Red Summer: A period of many race riots across the U.S.

* Chicago race riot: A major riot in Chicago.

1921 Tulsa race riot: A devastating attack on a Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
1912–1921 West Virginia coal wars: Conflicts between coal miners and mine owners.

* Battle of Blair Mountain: A large armed uprising by coal miners.

1939–1945 World War II: The U.S. entered after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

* Attack on Pearl Harbor: Japan attacked the U.S. naval base in Hawaii, bringing the U.S. into WWII. * Bombardment of Ellwood: A Japanese submarine attacked an oil field in California. * Battle of Los Angeles: A rumored air attack that led to anti-aircraft fire. * Battle of the Aleutian Islands: Japanese forces occupied islands in Alaska. * Bombardment of Fort Stevens: A Japanese submarine shelled a fort in Oregon. * Lookout Air Raids: Japanese balloons carrying bombs reached the U.S. mainland.

The Navy radio station at Dutch Harbor burning after the Japanese Attack, June 4, 1942. This attack was part of the Aleutian Islands Campaign.

Mid-Century to End of Century (1950–2000)

1965 Watts Rebellion: A large riot in Los Angeles.
1967 Long, hot summer of 1967: A period of many riots across the U.S.

* Detroit riot: One of the largest and most destructive riots in U.S. history.

1968 King-assassination riots: Riots broke out after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

* Washington, D.C. riots: Major unrest in the nation's capital.

1969 Stonewall riots: Important events that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
1971 Attica Prison riot: A major prison uprising in New York.
1978 Wounded Knee Occupation: A protest by Native American activists.
1992 Los Angeles riots: Widespread unrest after a police brutality verdict.
1993 World Trade Center bombing: A terrorist attack in New York City.
1993 Waco siege: A standoff between federal agents and a religious group in Texas.
1995 Oklahoma City bombing: A domestic terrorist attack on a federal building.
1999 Seattle WTO Protests: Large protests against the World Trade Organization meeting.

The 21st Century: Modern Challenges

The 21st century has seen new types of conflicts, including domestic terrorism and protests.

2001–2021 War on Terror: A global effort against terrorism, including events within the U.S.
2013 Christopher Dorner shootings and manhunt: A series of violent events involving a former police officer.
2014 Bundy standoff: A standoff over grazing rights in Nevada.
2015 Baltimore protests: Protests and unrest following the death of Freddie Gray.
2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge: An armed occupation of a federal building in Oregon.
2016–2017 Dakota Access Pipeline Protests: Protests against the construction of an oil pipeline.
2017 Unite the Right rally: A white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that led to violence.
2020–2021 George Floyd Square occupied protest: A protest site established after the death of George Floyd.
2021 United States Capitol attack: An attack on the U.S. Capitol building.

Images for kids

The Battle of Lexington, the first battle of the American Revolutionary War.
The Battle of Long Island, a major battle in 1776.
The Battle of Monmouth, fought in 1778.
The surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, ending the Revolutionary War.
The Battle of Lake Erie, a key naval battle in the War of 1812.
The Battle of San Jacinto, where Texas won independence.
The bombardment of Fort Sumter, marking the start of the American Civil War.
The Battle of Shiloh, a very bloody battle.
The Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single day in U.S. history.
The Battle of Gettysburg, a major turning point in the Civil War.
The Battle of Cold Harbor, a brutal battle in 1864.
The Battle of Mobile Bay, a Union naval victory.
Ulysses S. Grant accepting Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, ending the Civil War.
A painting of the Battle of Little Bighorn.