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1775-1783 American Revolution
Fact Monster - Revolutionary War page English Colonists vs. Great Britain - The 13 American colonies fought for independence from British rule to become the United States. The colonists were frustrated because Britain forced them to pay taxes, yet did not give them any representation in the British Parliament. Colonists rallied behind the phrase, “no taxation without representation.” -
1812-1815 War of 1812
Fact Monster - War of 1812 page United States vs. Great Britain - The U.S. declared war on Great Britain during its war with France. America passed laws that closed its ports to British ships that were loaded with goods they planned to sell in the U.S. The colonists suspected that Britain was trying to prevent their western expansion by trying to claim land in what was then the Northwest Territory and also arm the American Indians. -
1861-1865 US Civil War
Fact Monster Civil War Page Union vs. Confederacy - The northern states and the southern states fought over slavery and states' rights. Eleven states seceded from the Union and called themselves the Confederate States of America and named Jefferson Davis president. The South surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia, in 1865. The Union victory meant re-admission for the seceded states and ended slavery. -
1914-1918 World War I
Fact Monster - WWI page The U.S. joined the Allies (Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan), who were at war with the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey), after German submarines began sinking unarmed ships—notably the Lusitania. US declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. -
1939-1945 World War II
Fact Monster - WWII page The U.S. joined the Allies (Britain, France, and the USSR) to fight the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) after the U.S. forces were attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor in 1941. -
1945-1991 Cold War
Fact Monster - Cold War page United States and their Allies vs. Soviet Unioin and their Allies - The Cold War was a time of tension between the US and the Soviet Union. Without an actual war, it lasted from about 1945 to 1991. The Soviet Union was trying to gain total power and take over all of Europe. They also encouraged Communism. The US was against this and that was part of the reason for the tension. -
1950-1953 - Korean War
Fact Monster - Korean War page United States & South Korea vs. North Korea and Communist China - The Korean War began when the North Korean Communist army crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded non-Communist South Korea. -
1960-1975 Vietnam War
Vietnam WarThe United States and South Vietnam vs. North Vietnam - A successful attempt on the part of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam, DRV) and the National Front for the Liberation of Vietnam (Viet Cong) to unite and impose a communist system over the entire nation. Opposing this group was the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam, RVN), backed by the United States. The war in Vietnam occurred during the Cold War. -
2001 - Invasion of Afghanistan
Invasion of AfghanistanThe US and Coalition forces vs. the Taliban - The War in Afghanistan (2001–present) refers to the intervention by NATO and allied forces in the Afghan political struggle, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, to dismantle the al-Qaeda terrorist organization and to remove from power the Taliban government. -
2003 - Invasion of Iraq
Invasion of IraqThe US and Coalition forces vs. Iraq - The Iraq War was an armed conflict in Iraq that consisted of two phases: an invasion of Iraq led by the United States. It was followed by a longer phase of fighting, in which an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces and the newly formed Iraqi government. The US completed its withdrawal of military personnel in December 2012, but the battle continues.
