Final answer:
Congress has formally declared war five times in U.S. history. The last time was in World War II after the Pearl Harbor attack. Subsequent military engagements have been authorized through other means, rather than formal declarations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Congress has formally declared war five times in U.S. history. Since World War II, presidents have not sought formal declarations of war from Congress and instead have relied on other forms of authorization such as congressional authorizations to use force, United Nations resolutions, North American Treaty Organization (NATO) actions, and other methods. These encompassed various engagements including wars in Vietnam, the war against terrorism, and operations in Korea, the Persian Gulf, and the former Yugoslavia. The last formal declaration was after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, leading the United States into World War II. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 was an attempt by Congress to regain some control over the president’s power to engage in military conflict without a formal declaration of war.