Devoted exclusively to the wars and military conflicts in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean from the days of early European exploration to the present, this timely reference surveys in great detail: thousands of specific battles, conflicts between European and native peoples, wars between European powers, wars of independence throughout the New World civil wars, and wars between nations of the Americas. Organized chronologically according to conflict, each section begins with a brief historical overview, followed by chronological entries describing key military and political events and their significance. Maps highlighting place names and political boundaries as well as numerous illustrations help place battles and events in geographical and historical perspective.