The American Indian Wars were numerous armed conflicts fought by governments and colonists of European descent, and later by the United States federal government and American settlers, against various indigenous peoples within the territory that is now the United States. These conflicts occurred from the 16th century to the 20th century and in all parts of the country, beginning with the Tiguex War in 1540 in present-day New Mexico and ending with the Renegade period of the Apache Wars in 1924 in the Southwestern United States.
According to a dataset of conflicts between Native American communities and colonial powers, the frequency of conflict increased dramatically in Mexico and the United States during the second half of the 19th century, as contact between the two groups became more frequent.[1]
| 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 | |
| Mixtón War (1540-1542) |
New Spain Tlaxcaltec |
Caxcanes | Assimilation or enslavement of all Caxcan natives, Spanish access to northern silver deposits |
| Chichimeca War (1550–90) |
New Spain Tlaxcaltec Caxcanes |
Chichimeca Confederation | Changes to Spanish indigenous policies, pursuit of voluntary conversion instead of forced conversions |
| Conflict | Combatant 1 | Combatant 2 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crazy Snake Rebellion (1909) |
 United States
|
Creek | |
| New Mexico Navajo War (1913)[citation needed] |
|||
| Bluff War (1914–15) Part of the Navajo and Ute Wars |
United States
|
Ute Paiute |
|
| Colorado Paiute War (1915) |
|||
| Posey War (1923) Part of the Ute Wars |
United States
|
Ute Paiute |
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