Craig White's Literature Courses Historical Backgrounds America's Forgotten Wars

Puritan-Pequot Indian War of 1634

Powhatan Indians wars of resistance to Jamestown colony in 17c Virginia: "The Massacre of 1622" killing 1/3 of Jamestown colonists, followed by failed revolt of 1644-46. (Both Indian wars led by Opechancanough, uncle to Pocahontas)

King Philip's War 1675-6 (last major war of resistance to European settlement by allied Indian tribes in New England; "King Philip" was the English name for the Wampanoag war chief Metacomet [1639-1676])

Bacon's Rebellion 1676

French and Indian War (1754-63)

[Not forgotten: American Revolution / War for Independence (1775-1781)]

War of 1812

Mexican-American War (1846-48)

[Not forgotten: the Civil War (1861-65)]

Multiple wars with American Indians throughout American history but climax in later 1800s

Spanish-American War (1899-1902): USA acquires Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, control of Cuba

[Not forgotten: World War 1 (1914-18), though remembered more in Europe]

[Not forgotten: World War 2 (1941-45): everybody remembers Hitler; he's all the history some know]

Korean War (1948-52)

[Not forgotten: Vietnam War (1965-74)]

Increasingly forgotten: First Gulf War in Iraq (1989-90)

Can't Forget:

War in Afghanistan (2002- )

Second Gulf War in Iraq (2003-2011?)