What event in 1890 marked the end of the Indian Wars in the United States?

The Battle of Wounded Knee, which took place in December 1890, is recognized as the event that effectively marked the end of the Indian Wars in the United States. This conflict occurred on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and involved the U.S. Army and Lakota Sioux. The massacre at Wounded Knee resulted in the death of many Lakota, including women and children, and symbolized the culmination of decades of conflict between Native American tribes and the U.S. government.

Wounded Knee is significant not only because it was one of the last major armed confrontations between the two groups but also because it reflected the broader context of U.S. policies towards Native Americans during this period, characterized by expansion, assimilation efforts, and the diminishing of Native American rights and lands. The aftermath of the battle further solidified the subjugation of Native tribes and marked a shift in U.S. government policy from military confrontation to more systematic methods of control over Native populations.

The other battles mentioned, such as Little Bighorn, Fallen Timbers, and Gettysburg, occurred in different contexts and time periods, focusing on various aspects of American military history, but they do not represent the conclusion of the Indian Wars specifically.