Iroquois Vs. American Constitution: Key Differences Explained

The Iroquois Confederacy and the U.S. Constitution have been compared for their similarities and differences, with some arguing that the former influenced the latter. The Iroquois Confederacy, formed by the unification of five nations, with a sixth joining later, created a multi-state government with individual governance. The U.S. Constitution, on the other hand, was established by the original 13 colonies uniting into a single republic. While historians debate the extent of the Iroquois' influence, with some doubting direct inspiration, Congress acknowledged it in a 1988 resolution, recognizing the Iroquois Confederacy's impact on democratic principles and the legitimacy of Native nations within the U.S. Constitution.

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Influence of Iroquois Confederacy on the US Constitution

The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee, is a political system that dates back several centuries. It was founded by the Great Peacemaker, who united five nations: Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, and Seneca. In 1722, the Tuscarora nation also joined the Iroquois.

In 1988, Congress passed a resolution formally acknowledging the influence of the Iroquois Confederacy on the U.S. Constitution. The resolution stated that the confederation of the original 13 colonies into one republic was influenced by the Iroquois Confederacy, as were many of the democratic principles incorporated into the Constitution.

The Iroquois Confederacy and the U.S. Constitution share similarities in their aim to establish a system of government that protects the rights and freedoms of their citizens. Both constitutions feature a separation of powers, with different branches of government responsible for various functions, allowing for a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power. Both also emphasise the importance of representative government, where leaders are elected by the people to make decisions on their behalf.

The influence of the Iroquois Confederacy on the framers of the U.S. Constitution is evident in their thinking about federalism. The Iroquois Confederacy's stacked-government model, with each tribe managing its own issues, served as an example of unification through mutual defence and the conduct of foreign affairs. This stood in contrast to the hereditary rule of the chiefs of the six nations, which the framers sought to avoid in their break from Britain's King George III.

Additionally, in 1754, Benjamin Franklin was impressed by the Great Law of Peace of the Iroquois Confederacy and wrote the Albany Plan of Union, advocating for the colonies to improve their security and defence against foreign powers. This further highlights the influence of the Iroquois on the thinking of key figures involved in the formation of the U.S. government.

Iroquois Constitution and US Constitution similarities

The US Constitution and the Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, share several similarities. Both constitutions aimed to establish a system of government that protected the rights and freedoms of their respective citizens. They both feature a separation of powers, with different branches of government responsible for different functions, allowing for a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from obtaining too much power.

The Iroquois Confederacy, which dates back several centuries, united five nations: the Mohawks, the Onondagas, the Cayugas, the Oneidas, and the Senecas. In 1722, the Tuscarora nation joined them, and together, these six nations formed a multi-state government while maintaining their own individual governance. This stacked-government model influenced the thinking of the US constitutional framers, who were familiar with the Iroquois Confederacy and its principles.

Both constitutions emphasise the importance of representative government, where leaders are elected by the people to make decisions on their behalf. The Iroquois Constitution, through its symbols and oral traditions, talks about the tree that binds them together, and their laws are intertwined with their religious beliefs. Similarly, the US adopted an eagle as its symbol, representing protection and vigilance against enemies.

While the US Constitution was heavily influenced by European political philosophy and Enlightenment ideas, it also drew inspiration from the democratic principles and federalist concepts of the Iroquois Confederacy, which was, at the time, the most democratic form of government that any of the convention members had personally encountered.

Iroquois Constitution and US Constitution differences

The Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, and the US Constitution have both had a significant impact on their respective nations. While the two documents share some similarities, they also differ in notable ways.

The Iroquois Constitution is an oral constitution, in contrast to the written US Constitution. The Iroquois Constitution is specific to the tribes it represents, while the US Constitution has a national scope. The Iroquois Constitution also incorporates religious elements, with laws involving the religion of the Iroquois people. The US Constitution, on the other hand, does not include religious elements and instead focuses on the rights of the people and the structure of the government.

In terms of structure, both constitutions establish a system of government that protects the rights and freedoms of their citizens. They both feature a separation of powers, with different branches of government responsible for various functions, creating a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. Additionally, both documents emphasise representative government, with leaders elected by the people to make decisions on their behalf.

The Iroquois Constitution's influence on the US Constitution is a matter of historical debate. In 1988, Congress passed a resolution formally acknowledging the impact of the Iroquois Confederacy on the US Constitution. This resolution also reaffirmed the legitimacy and sovereignty of Native American nations and their governments. Historians have pointed to evidence suggesting that the framers of the US Constitution studied and drew inspiration from the Iroquois form of government, particularly the concept of federalism. Benjamin Franklin, for example, was impressed by the Iroquois Confederacy and advocated for the colonies to unite in a similar fashion.

Despite these similarities and acknowledged influences, the two constitutions differ in significant ways. The Iroquois Constitution, for instance, is based on a stacked-government model, with hereditary rulers for each tribe, while the US Constitution avoids this by providing for elected officials. The Iroquois Constitution also served as a model for unification through mutual defence and the conduct of foreign affairs, influencing the US Constitution's approach to these matters.

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Iroquois Confederacy and unification through mutual defence

The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee, is a union of several Native American nations. It was founded by the Great Peacemaker, who united the Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, and Seneca nations. In 1722, the Tuscarora nation joined the Iroquois.

The Iroquois Confederacy is known for its system of government, which has been recognised as influencing the US Constitution. In 1988, Congress passed a resolution formally acknowledging this influence. The resolution also reaffirmed the legitimacy and sovereignty of Native American nations and their governments.

The Iroquois Confederacy is a form of unification through mutual defence. This is reflected in the Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, which establishes a system of government that protects the rights and freedoms of its citizens. The Iroquois model of government involves a separation of powers, with different branches of government responsible for different functions. This allows for a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from obtaining too much power.

The Iroquois Confederacy's structure served as an example of federalism for the framers of the US Constitution. According to Professor Donald A. Grinde, Jr., the Iroquois Confederacy is about "unification through mutual defence and [conducting] foreign affairs". This stood in contrast to the British system of government under King George III, with whom the framers of the US Constitution had grievances.

The influence of the Iroquois Confederacy on the thinking of the constitutional framers can be seen in the writings of Benjamin Franklin, who attended the Albany Congress in 1754 with leaders of the Iroquois Confederacy. Franklin was impressed by the Great Law of Peace and wrote the Albany Plan of Union, advocating for the colonies to improve their security and defence against foreign powers.

Iroquois Constitution and laws involving religion

The Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, is an oral constitution that was presented by Hiawatha and conceived by Dekanawidah, also known as the Great Peacemaker. It is represented by symbols on wampum belts, which are shell-bead belts that encode messages in a sequence of pictograms. The Great Law of Peace united the five nations into a League of Nations, or the Iroquois Confederacy, with each nation maintaining its own leadership but agreeing to decide on common causes in the Grand Council of Chiefs.

The Iroquois Constitution and the laws within it involving religion are reflected in the freedom of religion that is present in the U.S. Constitution. While the exact laws and narratives of the Great Law exist in the languages of the member nations, and spelling and usage vary, the Great Law is presented as part of a narrative noting laws and ceremonies to be performed at prescribed times. This indicates that religion and spirituality play a role in the Iroquois Constitution and the laws and ceremonies that are followed.

The influence of the Iroquois Constitution on the U.S. Constitution and the laws involving religion is a topic of debate. Some argue that the U.S. Constitution and the system of self-government it created were based on the Iroquois Great Law, including the freedom of religion. In 1988, the U.S. Congress passed Concurrent Resolution 331, recognizing the influence of the Iroquois Constitution on the American Constitution and Bill of Rights. Additionally, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and other framers of the U.S. Constitution are said to have been influenced by the democratic ideals of the Iroquois Constitution and the federal structure, individual liberty, and separation of powers it entailed.

However, others disagree with the idea that the Iroquois Constitution directly inspired the U.S. Constitution. Historians argue that there is no compelling evidence that the Founding Fathers directly imitated the Iroquois Great Law when writing the U.S. Constitution. While the Iroquois Constitution may have influenced colonial society and culture, the original U.S. Constitution allowed for the denial of suffrage to women and majority rule rather than consensus, which differs from the Iroquois system.

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