Iroquois Constitution: A Democratic Inspiration

The Iroquois, also known as the Six Nations, are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of Native Americans and First Nations peoples in northeast North America. The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, is governed by the Great Law of Peace, an oral constitution represented by symbols on wampum belts. The Great Law of Peace is said to have been composed by Deganawidah the Great Peacemaker, Hiawatha, and Jigonsaseh the Mother of Nations. The Iroquois Confederacy has been described as a powerful influence on the writers of the U.S. Constitution, with the Great Law of Peace inspiring the Albany Plan of Union, written by Benjamin Franklin.

Notes:

• The Iroquois Confederacy was formed by the Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, and Seneca, with the Tuscarora joining in 1722.
• The confederacy was likely formed between 1142 and 1660, with the Great Law of Peace established as its governing principle.
• The Iroquois Constitution is also known as the Great Law of Peace, and it is divided into 117 articles.
• The United States Congress recognised the influence of the Iroquois Constitution on the American Constitution and Bill of Rights in 1988.
• The Iroquois continue to live under their own constitution and government.

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The Great Law of Peace

The Confederacy was likely formed between 1142 and 1660, but there is little consensus on the exact date. The Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Onondaga joined in the Great Law of Peace to form a confederacy; the Tuscarora joined them later. The Law of Peace includes its Chiefs, Clan Mothers, and Faith Keepers, the delegates that form the regulatory bodies of the confederacy. The Clan Mothers have been compared to a high court; they serve for life, have been selected by consensus, and have the authority to remove council members.

The Iroquois Confederacy has been described as a powerful factor in North American colonial policy. The confederacy emerged from the Great Law of Peace, said to have been composed by Deganawidah the Great Peacemaker, Hiawatha, and Jigonsaseh the Mother of Nations. The Iroquois program towards defeated tribes favored assimilation within the 'Covenant Chain' and Great Law of Peace, over wholesale slaughter.

The influence of the Great Law of Peace on the U.S. Constitution is disputed by scholars. However, in 1988, the U.S. Congress passed Concurrent Resolution 331 to recognize the influence of the Iroquois Constitution upon the American Constitution and Bill of Rights.

The Albany Plan of Union

The powers of the proposed unified government included treaty-making, raising military forces, and taxation. The Grand Council was given greater authority relative to royal colonial governors to prevent the pursuit of unpopular policies. The plan also acknowledged the need to regulate colonial-Indian relations and resolve territorial disputes between the colonies.

While the Albany Plan of Union was never implemented, it served as a model for future attempts at union. It influenced subsequent proposals, such as Galloway's Plan of Union, and laid the groundwork for the concept of uniting the colonies under one government. The plan's emphasis on centralized authority and the need to defend common interests reflected the concerns of both imperial officials and colonists at the time. Despite its rejection by the British Parliament, the Albany Plan of Union remains a significant milestone in the history of the colonies' pursuit of unity and self-governance.

The US Constitution and Bill of Rights

The United States Constitution and the Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, share similarities in their structures and principles. Both documents emphasise federalism, with the US Constitution establishing a federal system that divides powers between the national government and state governments, while the Iroquois Constitution outlines a confederacy where individual tribes maintain autonomy but unite to address common concerns.

The Iroquois Confederacy, comprising the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and later the Tuscarora, served as a model for the US Constitution's federal design. The Iroquois Confederacy's ability to balance tribal sovereignty with collective decision-making influenced the Founders' thinking during the drafting of the US Constitution in 1787.

The Great Law of Peace, consisting of 117 articles, promotes peace, consensus, and mutual support among the Iroquois Nations. Similarly, the US Constitution and Bill of Rights safeguard individual liberties and establish a system of checks and balances to ensure peaceful coexistence and consensus-building. The Iroquois principle of strong kinship bonds and leadership through service resonates with the democratic ideals enshrined in the US Constitution.

The influence of the Iroquois Constitution on the US Constitution has been recognised by the US Congress, which passed Concurrent Resolution 331 in 1988. However, some scholars dispute the extent of this influence, highlighting differences in decision-making processes and representation between the two systems. They argue that the US Constitution, as originally enacted, differed significantly from the Great Law of Peace, particularly regarding suffrage and majority rule.

The Iroquois Confederacy's impact extended beyond the US Constitution to shape colonial society and culture, influencing the Suffragette movement and fostering democratic institutions worldwide. The Iroquois continue to thrive under their constitution and government, adapting and electing new representatives while preserving their unique cultural symbols and traditions.

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The spread of democratic institutions

The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Six Nations, is a powerful example of a democratic institution that has influenced the spread of democracy across the world. The Confederacy is made up of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora peoples, who united under the Great Law of Peace, their oral constitution. This law is represented by symbols on wampum belts, which served as mnemonic devices for storytellers. The Great Law of Peace outlines a federal structure, with each nation or tribe playing a delineated role in the conduct of government and handling their own affairs, but coming together to solve issues of common importance. This structure is similar to that of the United States, which was formed by the union of multiple states, each with its own government, but united under a federal government that handles matters of common concern.

The influence of the Iroquois Constitution on the American Constitution and Bill of Rights has been recognised by the U.S. Congress, which passed Concurrent Resolution 331 in 1988. John Rutledge, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, read excerpts of various Iroquois Treaties to the drafting committee. The Great Law of Peace and the concept of a united confederacy of nations also inspired the Albany Plan of Union, written by Benjamin Franklin after attending a meeting of the Six Nations in 1754. This plan advocated for the colonies to unite and improve their security and defence against foreign powers.

The democratic principles of the Iroquois Confederacy are based on the concept of community, mutual support, sharing, and understanding of common resources. The Confederacy operates under a consensus-based decision-making process, with Clan Mothers serving as a high court, selected by consensus, and with the authority to remove council members. This stands in contrast to the original U.S. Constitution, which allowed for the denial of suffrage to women and employed a majority rule rather than a consensus-based system.

While the influence of the Iroquois Constitution on the American political system is widely recognised, some scholars dispute the extent of this influence, pointing to differences between the two forms of government and the lack of direct evidence in U.S. constitutional debate records. However, it is important to note that the Iroquois Confederacy has had a lasting impact on the development of colonial society and culture in North America, including the Suffragette movement, and continues to thrive as a democratic institution today.

The US bicameral Congress

The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the US House of Representatives, and an upper body, the US Senate. The US Congress is often regarded as the "heart and soul of democracy" in the country. It is made up of 535 voting members, including 100 senators and 435 representatives. The House of Representatives has six additional non-voting members.

The US Constitution was drafted in 1787, and the Founders drew inspiration from the Iroquois Confederacy, a multi-state government that ensured individual governance and freedom. The Iroquois Confederacy was formed by five tribes: Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, and Seneca. The Confederacy operated under the Great Law of Peace, a doctrine of 117 codicils where individual tribes handled their own affairs but came together to solve issues of common importance.

The bicameral nature of the US Congress was conceived as part of the Great Compromise, where the Senate had an equal number of delegates per state, and the House had representatives based on relative populations. The Founding Fathers of the United States favoured this model, with the Senate envisioned as a stabilising force, selected by state legislators rather than mass electors. The idea was that senators would be more knowledgeable and deliberate, acting as a counter to the "fickleness and passion" James Madison associated with the House.

The Iroquois Confederacy's influence on the US Constitution is a matter of debate among scholars. While some argue that the Great Law of Peace and the US Constitution had significant differences, others acknowledge the impact of the Iroquois model of governance on the development of colonial society and culture.

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