Military history of the United States

The military history of the United States spans a period of over two centuries. During those years, the United States evolved from a newly formed nation fighting for independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain (1775–1783), through the American Civil War (1861–1865) and, after collaborating with the Allies during World War II (1941–1945), to world superpower status from the latter part of the 20th century to the present.[1]

Military History of the United States
Founded	Continental Army – 14 June 1775 (1775-06-14)
Service branches	United States Army United States Marine Corps  United States Navy  United States Air Force United States Space Force  United States Coast Guard
Headquarters	The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
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Timeline and periods Prehistoric and Pre-colonial until 1607 Colonial period 1607–1765 1776–1789     American Revolution 1765–1783     Confederation Period 1783–1788 1789–1849     Federalist Era 1788–1801     Jeffersonian Era 1801–1817     Era of Good Feelings 1817–1825     Jacksonian Era 1825–1849 1849–1865     Civil War Era 1850–1865 1865–1918     Reconstruction Era 1865–1877     Gilded Age 1877–1895     Progressive Era 1896–1916 1918–1945     World War I 1917–1919     Roaring Twenties 1920–1929     Great Depression 1929–1941     World War II 1941–1945 1945–1964     Post-war Era 1945–1964 1964–1980     Civil Rights Era 1965–1980 1980–1991     Reagan Era 1981–1991 1991–2008     Post-Cold War Era 1991–2008 2008–present     Modern day 2008–present
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In 1775, the Continental Congress established the Continental Army, Continental Navy, and Continental Marines and named General George Washington its commander. This newly formed military, fighting alongside French soldiers and sailors, triumphed over the British during the war, which led to independence via the Treaty of Paris. In 1789, the new Constitution made the president the commander in chief, and gave Congress the authority to levy taxes, create laws, and declare war.[2]

As of 2021, the United States Armed Forces consists of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Space Force, all under the command of the Department of Defense, and the Coast Guard, which is controlled by the Department of Homeland Security.

The President of the United States is the commander-in-chief, and exercises the authority through the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who supervises combat operations. Governors have control of each state's Army and Air National Guard units for limited purposes. The president also has the ability to federalize National Guard units, bringing them under the sole control of the Department of Defense.[3]