The American Indian Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States government and various Native American tribes from the early 1600s through the late 1800s, primarily driven by westward expansion, land disputes, and broken treaties. As settlers moved across North America under policies like Manifest Destiny, tribes including the Sioux, Apache, Cheyenne, and Nez Perce resisted displacement from their ancestral lands. Major events such as the Battle of Little Bighorn, the Trail of Tears, and the Wounded Knee Massacre highlight the violence and cultural upheaval of this era. The American Indian Wars resulted in the forced relocation of Native Americans to reservations and had lasting effects on tribal sovereignty, culture, and federal Indian policy in United States history.