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American Indian Wars are the numerous armed conflicts between European empires or colonists, and later by the American and Canadian settlers or American and Canadian governments, and the indigenous peoples of North America. These conflicts occurred across the country beginning with the Tiguex War in 1540 within present-day New Mexico and ending with the Renegade period during the Apache Wars in 1924 within the Southwestern United States.

16th century wars[]

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result
Battle of Mabila
(Oct 1540)
Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto Mississippian culture Death of chief Tuskaloosa, over 2,500 Indians and 200 Spaniards
Tiguex War
(winter 1540–41)
Spanish conquistador Puebloan

17th century wars[]

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result
Navajo Wars
(c. 1600–1866)
Bandera de la Corona de Castilla Crown of Castile
(c. 1600–1716)
Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931) Spain
(1716–1821)
Flag of Mexico Mexico
(1821–48)
US flag 30 stars United States
(1849–66)
Navajo
  • Long Walk of the Navajo (1863–68)
  • Navajos moved to reservations
Anglo-Powhatan Wars
(1610–46)
English colonists Powhatan Confederacy
Pequot War
(1636–38)
New England blank flag Massachusetts Bay Colony
Plymouth Colony
Saybrook Colony
Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800) Connecticut Colony
Mohegan
Narragansett
Pequot
Beaver Wars
(1642–98)
Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy Iroquois
Flag of England Kingdom of England
Prinsenvlag Dutch Republic
Huron
Erie
Neutral
Odawa
Ojibwe
Mississaugas
Potawatomi
Algonquin
Shawnee
Wenro
Mahican
Innu
Abenaki
Miami
Illinois Confederation
other nations allied with France
Royal Standard of the King of France Kingdom of France
Kieft's War
(1643–45)
Statenvlag New Netherland Lenape
Peach Tree War
(1655)
Statenvlag New Netherland Susquehannock
allied tribes
Esopus Wars
(1659–63)
Prinsenvlag Dutch settlers
Iroquois Confederacy
Esopus tribe of Lenape Indians
King Philip's War
(1675–78)
New England pine flag New England Confederation
Mohegan
Pequot
Wampanoag
Nipmuck
Podunk
Narragansett
Nashaway
  • Colonial victory in southern theatre
  • Native victory in northern theatre
King William's War
(1688–97)
Royal Standard of the King of France Kingdom of France
Royal Standard of King Louis XIV New France
 Wabanaki Confederacy
Flag of England Kingdom of England
New England blank flag Massachusetts Bay Colony
Kingdom of England English America
Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy Iroquois Confederacy

18th century wars[]

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result
Queen Anne's War
(1702–13)
Royal Standard of the King of France Kingdom of France
  • Royal Standard of King Louis XIV New France

Spain Spain

  • Spain New Spain

Wabanaki Confederacy
Caughnawaga Mohawk
Choctaw
Timucua
Apalachee
Natchez

Flag of England Kingdom of England (until 1707)[1]
  • Kingdom of England English America

Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors) Kingdom of Great Britain (from 1707)[1]

  • Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800) British America

Muscogee people|Muscogee (Creek)
Chickasaw
Yamasee

Tuscarora War
(1711–15)
  • Power of Tuscaroras broken
  • Tuscaroras retreat from the coast
  • Southern Tuscaroras migrate to New York
Fox Wars
(1712–33)
Kingdom of France France Fox
  • Meskwaki (Red Earth People)
  • Renards
  • Outagamis
Yamasee War
(1715–17)
Colonial militia of:
  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
  • Virginia

Catawba (from 1715)
Cherokee (from 1716)

Yamasee
Ochese Creeks
Catawba (until 1715)
Cherokee (until 1716)
Waxhaw
Santee
  • Power of the Yamasee was broken
  • South Carolina colonists establish uncontested control of the coast
  • The Catawba become the dominant tribe in the interior
Chickasaw Wars
(1721–63)
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors) Kingdom of Great Britain
Chickasaw
Royal Standard of the King of France Kingdom of France
Choctaw
Illini
Dummer's War
(1722–25)
New England combo flag New England Colonies
Mohawk
Wabanaki Confederacy
Abenaki
Pequawket
Mi'kmaq
Maliseet
  • Dummer's Treaty
King George's War
(1744–48)
Royal Standard of the King of France Kingdom of France
  • Royal Standard of King Louis XIV New France

Wabanaki Confederacy

Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors) Kingdom of Great Britain
  • Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800) British America

Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy Iroquois Confederacy

Seven Years' War
(1754–63)
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors) Kingdom of Great Britain
  • Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800) British America

Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1750-1801) Kingdom of Prussia
Portugal Portugal (from 1762)
Province of Hanover Hanover
Armoiries de La Falloise Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Iroquois Confederacy
Flag of Hesse Hesse-Kassel Flagge Fürstentum Schaumburg-Lippe Schaumburg-Lippe

Royal Standard of the King of France Kingdom of France
  • Royal Standard of King Louis XIV French Canada

Habsburg Monarchy Holy Roman Empire

  • Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy Austria
  • Flag of Electoral Saxony Electorate of Saxony
  • Bavaria Bavaria

Flag of Russia Russian Empire (until 1762)
Spain Spain (from 1762)
Sweden Sweden (1757–62)
Abenaki Confederacy
Alam of the Mughal Empire Mughal Empire (from 1757)

French and Indian War
(1754–63)
Part of the Seven Years' War
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors) Kingdom of Great Britain
  • Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800) British America

Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy Iroquois Confederacy
Catawba
Cherokee (until 1758)

Royal Standard of the King of France Kingdom of France
  • Royal Standard of King Louis XIV New France

Wabanaki Confederacy

Algonquin
Lenape
Ojibwa
Ottawa
Shawnee
Wyandot

Anglo-Cherokee War
(1758–61)
Part of the Seven Years' War
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors) Great Britain Cherokee
Pontiac's War
(1763–66)
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors) Kingdom of Great Britain Ottawa
Ojibwe
Potawatomi
Huron
Miami
Wea
Kickapoo
Mascouten
Piankeshaw
Delaware
Shawnee
Wyandot
Mingo
Seneca
  • Native Americans concede British sovereignty, but compel British policy changes
  • Portage around Niagara Falls ceded by Senecas to the British
Lord Dunmore's War
(1774)
Kingdom of Great Britain Colony of Virginia Shawnee
Mingo
American Revolutionary War
(1775–83)
US flag 13 stars – Betsy Ross United States
Kingdom of France France
Spain Spain
Flag of the Vermont Republic Vermont

Prinsenvlag Netherlands


Flag of Mysore Mysore


Oneida
Tuscarora
Watauga Association
Catawba
Lenape
Choctaw flag Choctaw

Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors) Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain Loyalists
Holy Roman Empire German Auxiliaries

Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy Iroquois
Onondaga
Mohawk
Cayuga
Seneca
Cherokee Nation Cherokee

Cherokee–American wars
(1776–95)
Part of the American Revolutionary War
US flag 13 stars – Betsy Ross United States Cherokee Nation Cherokee
Second Cherokee War
(1776)
Part of the Cherokee–American wars
Northwest Indian War
(1785–95)
US flag 13 stars – Betsy Ross United States
Western Confederacy
Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain
  • Kingdom of Great Britain British North America
Oconee War
(1785–)

19th century wars[]

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result
Tecumseh's War
(1811–13)
Part of the War of 1812
US flag 15 stars United States Tecumseh's Confederacy
  • Peace treaty
War of 1812
(1812–15)
US flag 15 stars United States
Choctaw flag Choctaw Nation
Cherokee
Creek Allies
British Empire United Kingdom
  • British Empire British North America

Tecumseh's Confederacy
Spain Spain (1814)

Peoria War
(1813)
Part of the War of 1812
Creek War
(1813–14)
Part of the War of 1812
US flag 15 stars United States
Choctaw flag Choctaw Nation
Lower Creeks
Cherokee
Red Stick Creek
First Seminole War
(1817–18)
US flag 15 stars United States Seminole
Spain Spanish Florida
Texas–Indian wars
(1820–75)
Part of the Apache Wars
Flag of Texas Republic of Texas
United States
File:Flag of the Comanche Nation.svgComanche
Arikara War
(1823)
US flag 24 stars United States Arikara
  • The Arikara eventually settled with the Mandan and Hidatsa on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota
Winnebago War
(1827)
US flag 24 stars United States Prairie La Crosse Ho-Chunks
with a few allies
  • Ho-Chunks cede lead mining region to the United States
Black Hawk War
(1832)
US flag 24 stars United States
Ho-Chunk
Menominee
Dakota
Potawatomi
Black Hawks British Band
Ho-Chunk and Potawatomi allies
Second Seminole War
(1835–42)
US flag 24 stars United States Seminole
  • 3,800 Seminoles transported to the Indian Territory
  • 300 remain in Everglades
Second Creek War
(1836)
Comanche Wars
(1836–75)
Part of the Texas–Indian wars
Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931) Spain
Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1893) Mexico
Flag of Texas Republic of Texas
US flag 24 stars United States
Choctaw flag Choctaw Nation
File:Flag of the Comanche Nation.svg Comanche
Osage Indian War
(1837)
Osage Nation
Cayuse War
(1847–55)
US flag 28 stars United States Cayuse
Ute Wars
(1849–1923)
US flag 31 stars United States Ute
Paiute
Navajo
Apache
  • Utes moved to reservations
Apache Wars
(1849–1924)
Part of the Texas–Indian wars
US flag 31 stars United States (1849–1924)
Confederate National Flag since Mar 4 1865 Confederate States (1861–65)
Apache
Ute
Yavapai
Comanche
Cheyenne
Kiowa
Havasupai
Hopi
Navajos
Papagos
Hualapai
Yuma
Mohave
  • Apaches moved to reservations
  • American Indian Wars conclude with Renegade period
Jicarilla War
(1849–55)
Part of the Apache, Ute and Texas-Indian Wars
US flag 30 stars United States Apache
Ute
Yuma War
(1850–53)
US flag 31 stars United States
Cupeno (1852–53)
Cocopah (1853)
Paipai
Halyikwamai
Mountain Cahuilla (1851)
Yuma
Mohave
Cocopah (1850–53)
Cahuilla
Cupeno (1851)
Mariposa War
(1850–51)
Walker War
(1853)
Part of the Ute Wars
Sioux Wars
(1854–91)
United States United States
Canada Canada
Crow
Pawnee
Eastern Shoshone
Sioux
  • Lakota
  • Dakota

Cheyenne
Arapaho
Kiowa
Comanche

First Sioux War
(1854–56)
Part of the Sioux Wars
Klickitat War
(1855)
US flag 31 stars United States Klickitat
Cascade
Puget Sound War
(1855–56)
Part of the Yakima War
US flag 31 stars United States Nisqually
Muckleshoot
Puyallup
Klickitat
Haida
Tlingit
  • Indians relocated to:
    • Siletz Reservation
    • Grand Ronde Reservation
    • Coast Indian Reservation
Rogue River Wars
(1855–56)
US flag 31 stars United States Rogue River people
  • Indians relocated to Siletz, Grand Ronde, and Coast Reservations
Third Seminole War
(1855–58)
US flag 31 stars United States Seminole
Yakima War
(1855–58)
US flag 31 stars United States Yakama
  • Peace treaty
Klamath and Salmon River War
(1855)
Tintic War
(1856)
Part of the Ute Wars
Tule River War
(1856)
US flag 31 stars United States
Flag of California California
Yokut
Coeur d'Alene War
(1858)
Part of the Yakima War
Mendocino War
(1858)
Part of the Yakima War
Yuki
Fraser Canyon War
(1858)
British Empire United Kingdom
  • British Empire Colony of British Columbia
Nlaka'pamux
Bald Hills War
(1858–64)
US flag 32 stars United States
Flag of California California

"Wintoons"

  • Whilkut

"Redwoods"

  • Chilula
  • Hupa

"Mountain tribes"

  • Chimariko
  • Lassik
  • Mattole
  • Nongatl
  • Sinkyone
  • Tsnungwe
  • Wailaki
Mohave War
(1858–59)
US flag 32 stars United States
Maricopa
Mohave
Walapai
Paiute War
(1860)
US flag 33 stars United States Paiute
Shoshone
Bannock
Yavapai Wars
(1861–75)
US flag 34 stars United States Yavapai
Apache
Yuma
Mohave
Owens Valley Indian War
(1862–65)
US flag 34 stars United States Owens Valley Paiute
Shoshone
Kawaiisu
Tübatulabal
Dakota War of 1862
(1862)
Part of the Sioux Wars
US flag 34 stars United States Pine Ridge Flag Dakota Sioux
Goshute War
(1863)
Colorado War
(1863–65)
Part of the Sioux Wars
US flag 35 stars United States Flag of Northern Cheyenne Cheyenne
Flag of Arapaho Nation Arapaho
Snake War
(1864–68)
US flag 35 stars United States Snake Indians
Hualapai War
(1865–70)
Part of the Yavapai Wars
US flag 35 stars United States Hualapai
Yavapai
Havasupai
Black Hawk's War
(1865–72)
Part of the Ute, Apache and Navajo Wars
US flag 35 stars United States Hualapai
Yavapai
Havasupai
Powder River War
(1865)
Part of the Sioux Wars
US flag 35 stars United States Sioux
Flag of Northern Cheyenne Cheyenne
Arapaho
Red Cloud's War
(1866–68)
Part of the Sioux Wars
US flag 36 stars United States Pine Ridge Flag Lakota
Flag of Northern Cheyenne Cheyenne
Flag of Arapaho Nation Arapaho
Comanche campaign
(1867–75)
Part of the Texas–Indian Wars
US flag 37 stars United States Flag of Northern Cheyenne Cheyenne
Flag of Arapaho Nation Arapaho
File:Flag of the Comanche Nation.svg Comanche
Kiowa
Red River Rebellion
(1869–70)
Canadian Red Ensign 1868-1921 Canada
Canadian Party
Metis Blue Métis
Provisional Government
  • Red River Colony enters Canadian Confederation as the Province of Manitoba
  • The Wolseley Expedition takes control of Fort Garry
  • Louis Riel flees to the United States
Modoc War
(1872–73)
US flag 37 stars United States File:Bandera Modoc Oklahoma.PNG Modoc
Red River War
(1874–75)
US flag 37 stars United States Flag of Northern Cheyenne Cheyenne
Flag of Arapaho Nation Arapaho
File:Flag of the Comanche Nation.svg Comanche
Kiowa
Great Sioux War of 1876
(1876–77)
Part of the Sioux Wars
US flag 37 stars United States
Canadian Red Ensign 1868-1921 Canada
Pine Ridge Flag Lakota
Flag of Northern Cheyenne Northern Cheyenne
Flag of Arapaho Nation Arapaho
  • Legal control of Powder River Country ceded to the United States
Buffalo Hunters' War
(1876–77)
Part of the Apache and Texas–Indian Wars
US flag 37 stars United States Comanche
Apache
Nez Perce War
(1877)
US flag 38 stars United States Nez Perce
Bannock War
(1878)
US flag 38 stars United States Bannock
File:Bandera Xoixoni Est.png Shoshone
Cheyenne War
(1878–79)
US flag 38 stars United States Flag of Northern Cheyenne Cheyenne
  • Northern Cheyenne Reservation created
Sheepeater Indian War
(1879)
US flag 38 stars United States File:Bandera Xoixoni Est.png Shoshone
White River War
(1879)
Part of the Ute Wars
US flag 38 stars United States Ute
Victorio's War
(1879–81)
Part of the Apache Wars during Renegade period
US flag 38 stars United States
Flag of Mexico Mexico
Apache
Geronimo's War
(1881–86)
Part of the Apache Wars
US flag 38 stars United States Apache
North-West Rebellion
(1885)
Canadian Red Ensign 1868-1921 Canada Provisional Government of Saskatchewan (Métis)
Cree–Assiniboine
  • Collapse of the Provisional Government of Saskatchewan
  • Completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway
  • Trial and execution of Louis Riel
Crow War
(1887)
US flag 38 stars United States Crow
Ghost Dance War
(1890–91)
Part of the Sioux Wars
US flag 43 stars United States

Sioux

20th century wars[]

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result
Crazy Snake Rebellion
(1909)
US flag 48 stars United States Creek
New Mexico Navajo War
(1913)
Bluff War
(1914–15)
Part of the Navajo and Ute Wars
US flag 48 stars United States Ute
Paiute
Colorado Paiute War
(1915)
Posey War
(1923)
Part of the Ute Wars
US flag 48 stars United States Ute
Paiute

See also[]

  • List of historical Indian reservations in the United States
  • List of Indian massacres
  • List of traditional territories of the indigenous peoples of North America
  • U.S.–Native American treaties
  • Population history of indigenous peoples of the Americas
  • Territorial evolution of the United States
  • Territorial evolution of Canada
  • Numbered Treaties

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 In 1707, the kingdoms of England and Scotland were unified as the Kingdom of Great Britain, sharing a single Parliament at Westminster under the Act of Union 1707. After this, Scottish troops joined their English counterparts in all colonial wars.
  2. Canny, p. 92.
  3. Wait, Eugene M. (1999). America and the War of 1812. Nova Publishers. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-56072-644-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=puuQ30N0EsIC&pg=PA78. 
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