Constitutional FAQ Answer #131
Q131. "Does anyone know how many officially declared wars we had throughout history?"
A. Not as many as you might think. The United States has been involved in a great many military actions, but only a very few declared wars. A "declared war" is one where Congress actually passes a resolution placing the country into a state of war. The following is an exhaustive list of all declared wars the United States has been involved in:
- The War of 1812 (1812-1815)
- The Mexican War (1846-1848)
- The Spanish-American War (1898-1899)
- World War I (1917-1918)
- World War II (1941-1945)
