History of The Indian Wars

More than 20,000 casualties on each side.

The Indian wars are considered the Longest war in North America.

The fierce Comanche Killed More Settlers than any other tribe in history

Arapaho May be The Originators of the Sun Dance.

Cheyenne – Arrow Renewal Ceremony

No Tribe Suffered More in the Indian Wars than the Cheyenne

Lakota First Gained Horse from Sioux

Teton Greatest Number of Warriors and Inflicted the Greatest Defeats to the United States Cavalry

How Long Was The Indian Wars?

The Indian Wars are an accumulation of wars between Native Americans and the United States that range from 1622-1924. This would be 302 years of fighting between these two nations.

These wars would be the longest running war in North America.

Tiguex War (winter 1540–41)

  • Expedition of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado against the twelve or thirteen pueblos of Tiwa Indians
  • Tiguex means – A member of a group of Pueblo peoples of northern New Mexico
  • Tiguex is pronounced as TEE-wesh
  • Leaders – War Chief Xauían

Anglo-Powhatan Wars (1610–46)

  • Were three wars fought between settlers of the Virginia Colony and Algonquin Indians of the Powhatan Confederacy in the early seventeenth century
  • See True Story of Pocahontas and John Smith
  • Result of Lord de la Warr’s orders to George Percy on August 9, 1610
  • Leaders – Chief Wahunsenacawh

Pequot War (1636–38)

  • Pequot fought against a coalition of English settlers from the Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and Saybrook colonies
  • Fought for the struggle to control trade
  • 1,500 Pequots had been killed or taken into captivity
  • Leaders – Uncas allied with English to Fight Pequots; Sachem Sassious leader in the Pequots Tribe
  • Inspired film “Last of the Mohicans”

Beaver Wars (1642–98)

  • Wars between the french and the Iroquois
  • Iroquois wanted to extend their territory for fur in the fur trade
  • Lead to the Great Peace Treaty of 1701
  • Leaders – Chief Canaqueese

Kieft’s War (1643–45)

  • Conflict between Lenape Indians of New York and New Netherland Colony
  • The colony wanted to transform Lenape into christians
  • Dutch colonist killed over 100 Indians in the area of present day New Jersey

Peach Tree War (1655)

  • Large scale attack from Susquehannock and allies on the New Netherlands Settlements on September 15th, 1655
  • Cornelis van Tienhoven shot a Native Woman for stealing a peach
  • 500-600 Natives attacked and killed 100 Dutch and took 150 hostages

Esopus Wars (1659–63)

  • Lenape Indians and the New Netherlands Colonist
  • Broke out in what is now Ulster County, New York
  • As a grudge held by Lenape Indians
  • Warriors destroyed crops, killed livestock, burned the dutch buildings

King Philip’s War (1675–78)

  • The settlers wanted more land
  • 1,000 colonist died and 3,000 Indians died
  • The war took place in present day Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine
  • Leaders – Metacomet (“King Philip”), Canonchet, chief of Narragansetts, Awashonks, chief of Sakonnets

King William’s War (1688–97)

  • The Iroquois League wanted to extend their territory
  • Main cause was because the Treaties and agreements were not adhered to.
  • English fought against french with Native Allies

Queen Anne’s War (1702–13)

  • English fought against french colonist with Indian allies
  • Lead to the Treaty of Ultrecht
  • Over 1,200 deaths in this war

Tuscarora War (1711–15)

  • The bloodiest colonial war in North Carolina
  • Lead to Treaty signing in 1718
  • Leaders – Chief Tom Blount, Chief Hancock
  • Chief Blount captured Hancock with help of settlers and executed him in 1712

Fox Wars (1712–33)

  • French vs Meskwaki Tribes
  • French wanted rights to use the river system that the Meskwaki people controlled
  • The war claimed thousands of lives and initiated slave trade
  • Nearly annihilated the whole Fox Population (Meskwaki)
  • Notable leaders – Lamyma, Pemoussa

Yamasee War (1715–17)

  • British colonist against Yamasee
  • Settlers had grievances from the fur trade
  • Yamasees rose and killed 90 white settlers and their families
  • Neighbouring settlers sent help and drove out Indians, they escaped to Florida and formed what was later called the Seminole

Chickasaw Wars (1721–63)

  • War took place along the Mississippi River
  • Chickasaw and British fought against Choctaw and french
  • English wanted to weaken France’s hold on the Mississippi Valley

Dummer’s War (1722–25)

  • New England fought with Wabanaki Confederacy (Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, and Abenaki) Allied with New France
  • Notable leaders – Chief Paugus, Chief Mog, Chief Wowurna, Chief Gray Lock
  • Indian population retreated to St. Francis and Becancour, Quebec, and New England took over much of the Maine territory.

King George’s War (1744–48)

  • Resulted in creating Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
  • Location was British Provinces of New York, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and Nova Scotia
  • Each Side wanted to gain dominance
  • Wabanaki Confederacy allied with the French
  • Iroquois Confederacy allied with the British

Seven Years’ War (1754–63)

  • Resulted in an Anglo-Prussian Coalition Victory
  • Mainly took place in the Eastern part of North America
  • French and British fought each other over borders and used Native American Allies
  • Wabanaki Confederacy allied with the French
  • Iroquois Confederacy allied with the British

French and Indian War (1754–63)

Anglo-Cherokee War (1758–61)

  • Once allies, both the Cherokee and british suspected each other of betrayal
  • Cherokee leaders were  Aganstata of Chota,  Attakullakulla (Atagulgalu) of Tanasi, Ostenaco of Tomotley, Wauhatchie (Wayatsi) of the Lower Towns, and Round O of the Middle Towns
  • Treaty of Charlestown and Treaty of Long Island on the Holston was made after for peace

Pontiac’s War (1763–66)

  • Fight between a loose confederation of American Indian Tribes in the great lakes region, the illinois county, and ohio country who were not liking the british policies in the region
  • Seneca’s circulated war belts made of wampum which called for tribes to mobilize and drive away British
  • Leaders in this war were Guyasuta and some speculated

Lord Dunmore’s War (1774)

  • Virginia led attack on the Shawnee Indians of Kentucky
  • Most of the conflict was at the Battle of Point Pleasant
  • The Treaty of Camp Charlotte made the Shawnee relinquish hunting grounds to white settlers
  • Notable Chiefs – Chief Cornstalk, a man murdered from white settlers whom he had come to talk peace with.

American Revolutionary War (1775–83)

  • Native Americans did not want to take part in this war.
  • They fought mainly to protect their lands
  • American Patriots defeated British colonies to get Independence from Great Britain and establishing U.S.A

Cherokee–American wars (1776–95)

  • Notable leaders – The war leader Dragging Canoe some called (Savage Napolean)
  • The war could be broken down into two phases from 1776 to 1783, and 1783 to 1794
  • Resulted i the Treaty of Tellico Blockhouse

Second Cherokee War (1776)

  • Raids between american colonist and Cherokee tribes
  • Conflicts due to the expansion of the frontiersman into Cherokee territory
  • Under command of General Griffith Rutherford, Captain William Moore attacked five Cherokee towns, killing 50-60 Cherokees on July 1776
  • Overpowered and out-numbered, the Cherokee offered peace to the American people.

Northwest Indian War (1785–95)

  • Fight for control over the Northwest Territory by the Great Lakes and Ohio River area
  • Notable Native Leaders – Blue Jacket, Little Turtle, Buckongahelas, Egushawa
  • The defeats of the US Army is one of the worst ever suffered during this war
  • President George Washington ordered US army to enforce US sovereignty over the territory.

Oconee War (1785–)

  • Fight between european americans and Creek Indians
  • The fought in the current state of Georgia
  • Conflicts from europeans entering traditional Oconee territory
  • europeans wanted to settle on their land
  • Lead to the Creek being in the Indian Removal Act of 1830

Tecumseh’s War (1811–13)

War of 1812 (1812–15)

  • Fight between US and United kingdom with their respective allies
  • Notable leaders – Tecumseh & Black Hawk
  • 15,000 americans died, roughly 8,600 british and canadian soldiers died from battle or disease
  • It was a part of a constant war of global superiority
  • War was fought in the Old Southwest (Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and Mississippi), the Old Northwest (embracing Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin) Canada, Coastal Maine and the Chesapeake areas.

Peoria War (1813)

  • October 1812, Illinois’ territorial Gov. Ninian Edwards launched attacks against Kickapoo and Potawatomi villages in and around the wide area of the Illinois River dubbed Lake Pimiteoui
  • Notable Leaders – Black Partridge
  • In his absence, the Americans’ attacks resulted in the destruction of the Potawatomi leader’s home and the deaths of his daughter and grandchild. That caused Black Partridge to renounce his allegiance and take up arms with other resisting NA forces.
  • treachery in treaties and policies, clumsy betrayals, and shifting alliances linked the Peoria War to Tecumseh’s War and the War of 1812

Creek War (1813–14)

  • Fought in the Alabama and Gulf Coast area
  • Conflicts between Creeks, europeans, and US
  • US formed alliances with Choctaw and Cherokee nations to fight against Creek Confederation
  • Ended with the Treaty of Fort Jackson
  • Over 2,000 combined casualties

First Seminole War (1817–18)

  • US expansion into Florida
  • US took over control from spanish crown and resulted in the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819
  • Notable leaders – Osceola & Billy Bowlegs
  • The Seminoles were required to leave northern Florida and were confined to a large reservation in the center of the Florida peninsula

Texas–Indian wars (1820–75)

  • Conflict between Texas and Southern Plains Indians
  • Conflicts began when first wave of europeans settlers moved into the spanish texas territory
  • Notable leaders – Quanah Parker, Satanta,Guipago
  • Ended with the surrender of Quanah Parker who was the last major Chief of the Comanche Indians
  • Disease came in and it is said that the tribe went from 20,000 to 8,000
  • By 1860 there were fewer than 8,000 Indians and there was 600,000 non-Indians colonist in Texas who had access to repeating rifles and revolvers

Arikara War (1823)

  • Conflict between US who allied with Sioux and the Arikara
  • Conflicts took place along the Missouri River in present day South Dakota
  • War was in response to an Arikara attack on trappers which is called the “worst disaster in history of western fur trade”
  • Notable leaders – Chief Grey Eye, Chief Little Soldier
  • Over 20 combined deaths in this conflict
  • Resulted in a peace treaty and the US and Arikara never engaged in battle again

Winnebago War (1827)

  • Ho-Chunk reacting to a wave of settlers coming in their land for mining resulting in minor conflicts
  • Ho-Chunk ceded their land to make more room for mining
  • Notable leaders – Red Bird
  • Estimated 18 deaths

Black Hawk War (1832)

Second Seminole War (1835–42)

Second Creek War (1836)

  • Conflict between Alabama and Muscogee Creek during Indian removal act
  • Resulted in the signing of  Treaty of Cusseta on 24 March 1832
  • The Upper Creek people who aligned with the settlers and supported removal was lead by Chief Opothle Yohola who took 1,500 of his warriors to settle conflict of the lower Creek people who rebelled
  • They moved the Creek to the West of the Mississippi

Comanche Wars (1836–75)

  • Conflicts between the Comanche and the SpanishMexican, and American militaries and civilians in the United States and Mexico
  • Notable leaders – Iron Jacket, Quanah Parker, Buffalo Hump, Santa Anna
  • President Lamar was determined to end the Comanche menace and clear the way for safe white settlement on the edges of the Texas frontier
  • Estimated 91 casualties
  • Notable leaders – Buffalo Hump

Osage Indian War (1837)

  • confrontation between Osage Indians and a company of Greene County (Missouri) militia under Colonel Charles Yancey
  • The Osage were removed to new location in early 1800s but traveled back to their homelands which created conflicts
  • Their presence in southwest Missouri, according to R.I. Holcombe’s 1883 History of Greene County, was “distasteful to the settlers,”
  • They got pushed back outside of state lines

Cayuse War (1847–55)

  • Conflict between the Cayuse people and the US
  • Conflict started when the Cayuse killed 14 settlers which is now known as the Whitman Massacre
  • Notable leaders – Chief Five Crows, War Eagle
  • Cayuse ceded most of their lands
  • Resulted in 5 innocent Cayuse being hanged for the early Whitman Massacre
  • The settlers and the government would vehemently fight for the land in a conflict that is still present today.

Ute Wars (1849–1923)

Apache Wars (1849–1924)

Jicarilla War (1849–55)

Yuma War (1850–53)

Mariposa War (1850–51)

  • Conflict between Native Americans and miners of Mariposa, California
  • The discovery of gold brought in non-Native Americans to the region and brought population of non-Native Americans from 14,000 to 200,000
  • Forced Native Americans off of their Gold Rich lands
  • The Ahwahneechees were forced to take up reservations

Walker War (1853)

  • Started from tension between the Mormon settlers and the Ute Indians
  • A Mormon killed a Shoshone over a trade which resulted in the Shoshone retaliating against the Mormons several times
  • Notable leaders – Chief Walkara 
  • Resulted in peace negotiations

Sioux Wars (1854–91)

First Sioux War (1854–56)

  • Major conflict resulted in the Grattan Massacre
  • 113 casualties in the conflict at Blue Water Creek in 1854
  • Half of the killed Brulé Lakota at Blue Water Creek were women and children
  • A mormon immigrant lost a cow and claimed it was stolen by the Lakota which resulted in the Grattan Massacre
  • One of the soldiers shot and killed Chief Conquering Bear,
  • Sioux retaliated and killed Grattan and 29 of his men

Klickitat War (1855)

  • Conflcit between US and the Klickitat People
  • A fight over land in the Washington area
  • Government pushed to have Klickitat people sign treaties to cede land but met resistance
  • The Klickitat people and Cascade people were removed from their lands

Puget Sound War (1855–56)

Rogue River Wars (1855–56)

  • Conflict between Rogue River Indians and US army
  • Fight over land territory and resources (Mainly Gold)
  • Notable leaders – Tecumtum (“Elk Killer”)
  • He and more than two hundred of his people were forced to abandon their ancestral lands, walking 125 miles north to their new home on the Coast Reservation, which later became the Siletz Reservation

Third Seminole War (1855–58)

  • A war that decimated the Seminole Population
  • Notable leaders – Chief Billy Bowlegs
  • Resulted in Relocation of the Seminoles from present day Fort Myers, Florida
  • Relocated to Arkansas

Yakima War (1855–58)

  • Conflict between US and Yakima
  •  In 1855 two gold prospectors were killed by Qualchin, the nephew of Kamiakin, after it was discovered they’d raped a Yakama woman
  • Notable leaders – Chief Kanaskat, Chief Leschi, Chief Kamiakin
  • Leschi was convicted of murder and hanged
  • Yakima were forced onto reservations in present city Yakima

Klamath and Salmon River War (1855)

  • Started with conflicts with local settlers and local Natives of the Yurok and Karok tribes
  • Miners in the area wanted the Natives to be disarmed and any natives found with firearms was to be killed
  • Some Indians formed a group called the “Red Caps”, who refused to disarm and conflicts kept happening between them and the miners
  • The California State Militia and US army stepped in to stop the war

Tintic War (1856)

  • A series of short skirmishes between settlers and Native Ute
  • Conflicts had rose from displacement from their tribal territories
  • Ute were forced to start stealing for survival because of settlers demolished the land from greed of resources
  • The federal government stepped in and moved the Ute
  • Notable leaders – Chief Tintic

Tule River War (1856)

  • A six week war between US army and California State Militia against Yokut in California
  • The army was brought in to drive off Natives from settlers
  • The Natives ran into the mountains and hid until armies left
  • 100 Yokut died during this 6 week war
  • Indian Agent found the hiding Yokut and talked peace

Coeur d’Alene War (1858)

  • US army conflicts with Skitswish (“Coeur d’Alene”), Kalispell (“Pend d’Oreille”), Spokane, Palouse and Northern Paiute
  • Notable leaders – Chief Qualchan
  • 1,000 Natives attacked and defeated 164 american troops at the Battle of Pine Creek
  • US retaliated with a larger force and subdued the Natives in the Battle of Four Lakes. A few days later the US gained another victory at the battle of Spokane Plains
  • After the battles the army hanged 17 Palouse along Latah Creek which was later called Hangman Creek
  • Chief Qualchan was among those who were hung

Mendocino War (1858)

  • The Genocide of the Yuki Tribes
  • Local rangers led by Walter S. jarboe killed 283 warriors, captured 292, killed countless women and children
  • Damage done to Yuki and other tribal cultures was incalculable
  • settlers wanted the natives off of their land and used any means necessary to force them out, including blaming natives for stealing livestock
  • historians began calling it a genocide

Fraser Canyon War (1858)

  • Driven by a hunger for gold and a sense of entitlement to Indigenous peoples’ territories and resources, American miners formed military companies and carried out violent attacks on Nlaka’pamux communities
  • The war ended on 21 August 1858, when the Nlaka’pamux and miners called a truce
  • When newspapers in California picked up the story, a gold frenzy took hold of San Francisco’s population, triggering a sudden mass migration of between 30,000 and 100,000 miners by land and sea, bound for the Fraser River
Fraser River Gold Rush

Bald Hills War (1858–64)

Mohave War (1858–59)

  • Conflict between the Mohave and the US
  • notable leaders – Espaniole, Irataba, Cairook, Sickahot
  • The Gold rush brought many settlers passing through which created conflict and misunderstandings
  • Advanced weaponry and tactics forced the Mohave to surrender and to sign a peace treaty

Paiute War (1860)

  • Armed conflict between Northern Paiutes allied with Shoshone and Bannock against US
  • Estimated 80+ casualties
  • Notable leaders – Numaga
  • Resulted in a ceasefire agreed in August of 1860
  • Williams Station Massacre – Paiutes heard of two of their women who were missing were held captive. The Paiute then raided Williams station and killed 17 settlers to rescue the women

Yavapai Wars (1861–75)

  • Conflict between US and Yavapai and Tonto tribes
  • Resulted in estimated 1,075 casualties
  • Notable leaders – Delshay, Nanni-chaddi
  • Resulted in Exodus Day – Yavapais removal from Camp Verde Reservation to San Carlos
  • Yavapai were beaten with whips during march in relocation with no wagons or rest stops.
  • Any Yavapai who were left lagging was left behind or shot. The march lead to 375 deaths

Owens Valley Indian War (1862–65)

  • Conflict between California volunteers and local settlers against Owens Valley Paiutes
  • 260 estimated casualties
  • notable leaders – Captain George, Joaquin Jim, Shondow, Tinemba
  • Paiutes were moved to reservations
  • Owens lake massacre – white settlers wanted to avenge the killing of a woman and child and attacked a Paiute camp on Owens Lake killing 40 men, women, and children

Dakota War of 1862 (1862)

  • Conflict between US and several of the Dakota Eastern Sioux
  • 227 estimated casualties
  • notable leaders – Little Crow, Wabasha, Big Eagle , Shakopee
  • Caused by treaty violations and late annuity payments which was causing starvation of the Dakota
  • Lead to the mass hanging of 38 Dakota on December 26th, 1862 in Mankato, Minnesota – The largest mass execution in United States History
  • Minnesota Massacre happened when 4 young Dakota were on a hunting trip where one stoll eggs and then killed five white settlers
  • Ended with surrender of most of the Dakota bands
  • Dakota were expelled from Minnesota and abolished their reservations
  • The Ho-Chunk who were living on the reservations lands near Mankato were expelled from Minnesota
  • Notable leaders – Little Crow, Wabasha, Big Eagle, Shakopee

Goshute War (1863)

  • The Gold rush and expansion of settlers caused many non Native americans to travel through Goshute territory
  • Settlers started building telegraph lines, stage lines, and railways on their lands
  • After attacks from Goshute they Union army killed many of the Goshutes
  • Goshutes signed a treaty mainly for peace and settlers did it to build on the Goshute land and take resources

Colorado War (1863–65)

  • Conflict between the US army, Colorado Militia, and white settlers against Southern Cheyenne, Arapaho, and allied Brulé and Oglala Sioux
  • Result was Inconclusive
  • Notable Leaders – Black Kettle, Roman Nose, Spotted Tail, Pawnee Killer
  • Lead to Sand Creek Massacre where 675 settlers killed 150 unarmed women, children, and elderly
  • Lead to Little Arkansas Treaty obligating Southern Cheyenne to move to present day Oklahoma

Snake War (1864–68)

  • Conflict between Snake Indians and US
  • Estimated 1,762 casualties from conflict
  • Resulted in US victory
  • Competing for land, food, and water resources
  • Ended in peace talks
  • Considered the deadliest of the Indian Wars in the West based on statistics
  • Notable Leaders – Wewawewa, Howluck, Po-li-ni, Paunia, Egan, Paulina, Oytes, Winnemucca, Ocheho

Hualapai War (1865–70)

  • Conflict between the US and the Hualapai Native Americans in the Arizona Territory
  • After death of the Hualapai Chief, they started raiding settlements which provoked a response from the US Army
  • Disease weakened the Hualapai which caused a surrender
  • Estimated 1/3rd of Hualapai was lost during this time
  • Notable leaders – Anasa, Wauba Yuba, Sherum, Leve Leve, Hitchi Hitchi, Hualapai Charley

Black Hawk’s War (1865–72)

  • A series of battles primarily between mormon settlers and members of the Ute, Southern Paiute, Apache, and Navajo Tribes in Central and Southern Utah
  • It lead to some abandonment of mormon settlements and hindered mormon expansion
  • It started from a series of conflicts over land and how both cultures could not live together peacefully
  • Notable Leaders – Antonga Black Hawk, Kanosh, Manuelito

Powder River War (1865)

  • Conflict between US army and the Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho in Montana and Dakota territory
  • Army wanted to establish Fort Connor to protect travelers on the Bozeman trail
  • Lead to Powder River massacre where pawnee scouts killed 24 Cheyennes
  • Lead to Native American victory

Red Cloud’s War (1866–68)

  • Conflict between the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Northern Arapaho against the US in the Montana and Wyoming territory
  • A fight over control over over the western Powder River Country
  • Lead to the Fetterman Fight which would be the worst military defeat of the US during that time
  • Lead to Native American Victory
  • Lead to Treaty of Fort Laramie
  • Notable Leaders – Red Cloud, Crazy Horse, Man Afraid Of His Horses, High Backbone

Comanche campaign (1867–75)

  • US conflict with the Comanche
  • Lead to surrender and relocation of the Comanche
  • Notable Leaders – Quanah Parker
  • Lead to the Red River War where 1,400 US soldiers attacked and destroyed Comanche camps and ended war between Comanche and Americans
  • Comanche went from 5,000 people in 1870 down to 1,500 in 1875

Red River Rebellion (1869–70)

Modoc War (1872–73)

  • Conflict between US army and Modoc people of California and Oregon
  • 90 estimated casualties
  • Notable leaders – Kintpuash, Scarface Charley, Shaknasty Jim
  • Lead to the execution of Captain Jack and three warriors and two other sentenced to life in prison
  • Some Modocs were sent to Oklahoma where they settled
  • There are two Modoc tribes in Oregon and Oklahoma today

Red River War (1874–75)

  • Military campaign to displace the Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne, and the Arapaho
  • War lasted a few months
  • It would end the Texas-Indian wars
  • marked the end of free-roaming Indian populations in the Southern Great Plains
  • Notable leaders – Isa-tai Chief Guipago, Quanah Parker
  • Comanche surrendered on June 1875 at Fort Sill
  • The Texas Panhandle was now open for farmers and ranchers settlements

Great Sioux War of 1876 (1876–77)

  • Conflict between Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne against the US
  • Fight to gain ownership of the Black Hills as gold was discovered
  • Resulted in US victory and permanently established Indian reservations
  • Notable leaders – Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull , Little Wolf, Dull Knife
  • Lead to famous battles such as the Battle of Little Bighorn and the death of General Custer
  • Estimated 575 casaulties

Buffalo Hunters’ War (1876–77)

  • Conflict between Comanche and Texas immigrants
  • Notable leaders – Black Horse
  • Comanche left the land they were set aside to head towards Llano Estacado of Texas, killing and attacking settlers along the way
  • 45 settlers set off to stop the natives and battle ensued.
  • This was the last armed conflicts between Native Americans and immigrants

Nez Perce War (1877)

  • Conflict between US army and the Nez Perce with allies
  • Notable Leaders – Chief Joseph, Looking Glass, White Bird, Ollokot, Toohoolhoolzote, Poker Joe† (Lean Elk), Red Echo (Hahtalekin), Bald head (Husishusis Kute)
  • Estimated 150 casaulties
  • Resulted in US victory
  • Chief Joseph surrendered on Oct. 5th, 1877
  • Chief Joseph and his people were forced to move to Oklahoma
  • Later Joseph got his people back to Washington and settled at the Colville Indian Reservation

Bannock War (1878)

  • Conflict between US military, Bannock, and Paiute warriors in Idaho and Southeastern Oregon
  • Notable leaders – Buffalo Horn, Egan
  • Estimated 30 casualties
  • Resulted in the discontinued Malheur Reservation where Northern Paiute was moved to Yakama Indian Reservation

Cheyenne War (1878–79)

  • Conflict between the Cheyenne and US army
  • Cheyenne attempted to return north after being moved into a southern reservation
  • Estimated 80 casualties
  • Notable Leaders – Dull Knife, Little Wolf , Wild Hog, Left Hand, Little Finger Nail, Black Wolf

Sheepeater Indian War (1879)

  • Conflict happened in present day Central Idaho
  • Resulted in the surrender of the Shoshone known as the Sheepeaters because they ate Rocky Mountain Sheep
  • Settlers complained of attacks from Shoshone and called on the US troops based on settlers complaints

White River War (1879)

  • Conflict with the Ute and White Settlers
  • Estimated 44 casualties
  • Resulted in Ute reduction and relocation
  • Made room for millions of new acreage to white settlement
  • Notable leaders – Chief Douglas, Nicaagat (Jack)

Victorio’s War (1879–81)

  • Conflict between Apache, the US, and Mexico
  • Notable leaders – Chief Nana, Chief Victorio
  • Mexican army killed Chief Victorio
  • In 1877, policy makers wanted to put all the Apache’s in a disease-ridden, hot stretch of parched land of the Gila River in Arizona
  • Rumors than spread that Apaches would be moved back to San Carlos, filled with Insecurities and Uncertainty, Victorio declared war in the autumn of 1879.

Geronimo’s War (1881–86)

North-West Rebellion (1885)

  • Conflict between canadian government and Métis alongside First Nations allies
  • Fought in areas of present day Saskatchewan and Alberta
  • Back and forth battles and victories which ultimately resulted in defeat by federal troops
  • Resulted in permanent enforcement of Canadian Law in the west
  • Lead to the conviction and hanging of Louis Riel
  • CreeSiksika,  KainaiPiikani, and Saulteaux were facing disaster with the absence of bison, disease, and starvation.
  • Notable leaders – chief Mistahimaskwa (Big Bear),  Louis Riel, Wandering Spirit, Gabriel Dumont
  • Eight others were hanged in the largest mass hanging in Canadian history – Their names were Wandering Spirit, (Kapapamahchakwew) a Plains Cree war chief, Little Bear (Apaschiskoos), Walking the Sky (AKA Round the Sky), Bad Arrow, Miserable Man, Iron Body, Ika (AKA Crooked Leg) and Man Without Blood

Crow War (1887)

  • Armed conflict between US and Crows in Montana area
  • Resulted in a US victory
  • Notable leaders – Sword Bearer (had a vision that if he carried a sword in battle that he would not be harmed), Little Coyote (Little Wolf), Two Moon, Chief’s Old Bear
  • Resulted in 9 Crow casualties
  • 1 US casualty

Ghost Dance War (1890–91)

  • Armed conflict between the Lakota and United States
  • Resulted in the Wounded Knee Masacree
  • 7th Cavalry killed 300 unarmed Lakota Sioux – Primarily women, children, and elders on December 29th, 1890
  • Lakota were upset from Treaty Violations of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851

Crazy Snake Rebellion (1909)

  • Notable leaders – Chitto Harjo also known as (Crazy Snake, Wilson Jones, Bill Snake, Bill Jarjo)
  • Chitto fought against assimilation changes in Oklahoma area agains US
  • Resulted in 3 casualties

New Mexico Navajo War (1913)

  • A conflict that happened because of clash of cultures between Navajo’s and U.S Law
  • A man that the Navajo’s called “Tall Boss” found Yázhi a Diné who had 3 wives which went against U.S Law as Polygamy
  • Tall boss took the wives and jailed them
  • Yázhi and 11 warriors raided jail and took back the wives
  • 250 men came to aid under Gen. Hugh Scott to confront Navajos
  • Result – Yázhi and others jailed for 30 days and went back to his 3 wives

Bluff War (1914–15)

  • Resulted from an Incident between Utah Shepard and Tse-ne-gat, the son of Paiute Chief Narraguinnep (Polk)
  • Chief Posey and his band helped the Paiute
  • Conflict centered in the town of Bluff, Utah
  • The Natives surrendered at Mexican Hat
Marshal Aquila Nebeker, front left, a hard-headed lawman from Utah, and accused-murderer Tse-ne-gat, son of Ute Chief Polk, pose for a camera in Salt Lake City before heading to trial in Denver.

Colorado Paiute War (1915)

  • A fight between United States and the Paiute, Shoshone, and Bannock
  • Notable leaders – Chief Numaga
  • Fight started when silver was discovered in Nevada area
  • Tipping point came on May 12th, 1860 – 5 white settlers captured and raped two Northern Paiute Women.
  • A band of Paiutes attacked the post, killed the men, and freed the women.

Posey War (1923)

  • Brief conflict with Indians in Utah with Ute and Paiute Native Americans in Utah.
  • Lead by Chief named Posey
  • Resulted in 2 Native Americans killed
  • 79 Ute and Paiute were taken as prisoners for a few days when Chief Posey was found dead

Wounded Knee Incident (1973)

  • Conflict between Oglala Lakota and Settlers and political control in the Pine Ridge Reservation
  • 2 Killed, 16 wounded, 1 missing
  • Left Pine Ridge Reservation with a higher rate of internal violence

Oka Crisis (1990)

  • Land dispute between Mohawk and Town of Oka, Quebec
  • Lasted 78 days with 105 wounded and 1 casualty
  • Protest against courts decision to allow golf course expansion to proceed
  • Negotiations ended the conflict
  • Golf Course Expansion were cancelled and land was purchased from developers of the federal government
  • The crisis motivated the development of the national First Nations Policing Policy

Dakota Access Pipeline Protest (2016-2017)


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