Jonah Patel
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, is a union of several indigenous nations in North America. The confederacy is believed to have been founded by the Great Peacemaker, uniting the five nations of the Mohawks, Onondagas, Cayugas, Oneidas, and Senecas. The exact date of its founding is unknown, with some sources claiming it was founded in 1142, while others date it to several centuries ago. The confederacy operates under a constitution called the Great Law of Peace, which allows each tribe to handle its own affairs while coming together to address common issues. While there is debate about the extent of its influence, some historians argue that the Iroquois Confederacy and its democratic principles inspired the founders of the U.S. Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of creation | 1142 |
| Founder | The Great Peacemaker |
| Nations involved | Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, Seneca, Tuscarora |
| Alternative names | Iroquois League, Iroquois Confederacy, Six Nations, Haudenosaunee Confederacy, League of Five Nations |
| Nature of the Confederacy | Federal |
| Constitution | The Great Law of Peace |
| Number of codicils in the constitution | 117 |
| Influence on the US Constitution | Believed to have influenced the US Constitution, but this is disputed |
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What You'll Learn
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy
The Iroquois Confederacy was founded by the Great Peacemaker in 1142 and is considered the oldest living participatory democracy on earth. It is governed by a constitution called the Great Law of Peace, which united the five nations into a League of Nations, or the Iroquois Confederacy. The confederacy was structured such that each nation maintained its own leadership and handled its own affairs, but they agreed to come together to decide on common causes in the Grand Council of Chiefs.
The Iroquois Confederacy has been cited as a significant influence on the U.S. Constitution, with its democratic principles and federalism serving as inspiration for the framers of the Constitution. Benjamin Franklin, for example, invited representatives of the Iroquois Nations to the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania in 1744 and the Albany Congress in 1754 to promote the core concepts of their constitution—peace, equity, and justice—as foundational precepts for unifying the colonies. The Albany Congress resulted in Franklin writing the Albany Plan of Union, which advocated for improved security and stronger colonial unity, echoing the principles of the Great Law of Peace.
In 1988, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution formally acknowledging the influence of the Iroquois Confederacy on the U.S. Constitution, recognizing that the democratic principles and political system of the Iroquois had an impact on the founding documents of the United States.
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The Great Peacemaker founded the confederacy
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee, is a political and cultural union of six Native American tribes. The tribes speak Iroquoian and govern parts of the present-day state of New York, northern Pennsylvania, and the eastern portion of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. The Confederacy is recognised as sovereign by both the USA and Canada.
The Great Peacemaker, sometimes referred to as Deganawida or Tekanawí:ta in Mohawk, is, by tradition, the founder of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Great Peacemaker's name means 'Two River Currents Flowing Together'. The Great Peacemaker is thought to have come from across Lake Ontario and the lands of the Huron/Wyandot People, present-day southeastern Canada, near the Bay of Quinte.
The Peacemaker worked with Aiionwatha, commonly known as Hiawatha, to teach the laws of peace to the Haudenosaunee. They travelled from community to community, persuading the Chiefs of each nation to join in the Great League of Peace. The Peacemaker established a council of clan and village chiefs to govern the confederacy. In each tribe, power was shared between the sexes. Men held the positions of hereditary chiefs through their mother's line, and clan mothers ruled on the fitness of chiefs and could depose any that they opposed. Most decisions in the council were made by consensus, with each representative having an equal voice.
The Peacemaker also planted a tree, naming it the Great Tree of Peace. He directed the Chiefs of the council to sit beneath the shade of the tree and watch the council fire of the confederacy of the five nations. He told them that all issues concerning the confederacy would be discussed and deliberated under this tree. The roots of the tree reached north, south, east and west and were labelled the Great White Roots. The Peacemaker declared that any nation choosing to follow the guidelines of the Great Peace should follow the Great White Roots and make themselves known to the Chiefs of the confederacy.
The Iroquois Confederacy is thought to have influenced the creation of the U.S. Constitution. The structure of the Confederacy represented five tribes: Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, and Seneca. It was federal in nature, operating 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 U.S. Constitution was drafted to echo the Great Law of Peace.
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The confederacy is made up of six nations
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, meaning "People of the Long House", is made up of six nations. The confederacy is often referred to as the Six Nations. The six nations are the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora.
The Iroquois Confederacy is often characterised as the world's oldest participatory democracy. The confederacy's constitution, the Great Law of Peace (Gayanesshagowa), is believed to have been a model for the U.S. Constitution. The structure of the confederacy represented five tribes that handled their own affairs but came together to solve issues of common importance.
The unification of the five nations took place under the "Great Tree of Peace", with each nation pledging not to war with other members of the confederation. The Mohawks were the guardians of the eastern door in the lower Mohawk Valley area. The Oneidas occupied the upper Mohawk Valley and the area of modern-day Oneida, New York. The Onondagas were the keepers of the council fire in the centre of the "longhouse", in what is now the greater Syracuse area. The Cayugas occupied the Finger Lakes area, and the Seneca were the guardians of the western door in the modern Rochester-Buffalo New York area.
In 1722, the Tuscarora nation joined the Iroquois Confederacy, becoming the sixth nation. The Tuscarora people were admitted around 1720, and the confederacy was expanded from five tribes to six. The confederacy is situated upon the headwaters of the Ohio, Hudson, Delaware, Susquehanna, Chenango, Mohawk, and St. Lawrence Rivers. The Six Nations held within their jurisdiction the passageway to the interior of the continent, and they could easily travel in any direction.
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The Iroquois Constitution may have influenced the US Constitution
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee or the Six Nations, is a union of several Native American nations. The confederacy was founded in 1142 by the Great Peacemaker, who united the five nations of the Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, and Seneca. In 1722, the Tuscarora nation joined the Iroquois, bringing the total number of nations to six.
The Iroquois Confederacy is notable for its system of government, which is outlined in a constitution known as the Great Law of Peace. This constitution consists of 117 codicils, allowing individual tribes to handle their own affairs while coming together to address issues of common concern. The Iroquois Confederacy may be the longest-standing democracy on Earth.
There is some debate about the extent to which the Iroquois Constitution influenced the creation of the US Constitution. Some historians argue that the Iroquois Constitution played a significant role in shaping the US Constitution, while others claim that its influence has been exaggerated or is a myth.
Those who argue for the influence of the Iroquois Constitution point to several pieces of evidence. For example, Benjamin Franklin was impressed by the Iroquois system of government and promoted their principles of peace, equity, and justice as a model for unifying the colonies. He invited representatives of the Iroquois Nations to share their wisdom and democratic principles at the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania in 1744 and the Albany Congress in 1754. Franklin also reproduced a speech by an Iroquois leader urging union among the American colonies and wrote a letter in 1751 stating that if the Iroquois could unite, the colonies could as well. These actions suggest that Franklin saw the Iroquois Confederacy as a potential model for colonial unity.
Additionally, in 1987, The New York Times published an article titled "Iroquois Constitution: A Forerunner to Colonists' Democratic Principles," suggesting that the Iroquois Confederacy influenced the framers of the US Constitution. This article sparked a broader public discussion about the relationship between the two constitutions. The following year, in 1988, Congress passed a resolution formally acknowledging the influence of the Iroquois Confederacy on the US Constitution and reaffirming the government-to-government relationship between Indian tribes and the United States.
Furthermore, during the Constitutional Convention in 1787, there were no contemporary democracies in Europe that could serve as models for the framers of the US Constitution. The most democratic forms of government that the convention members had encountered were those of Native American nations, particularly the Iroquois Confederacy. John Adams's three-volume handbook, written for the convention, surveyed different types of governments and ideas, and it is believed to have included a description of the Iroquois Confederacy.
However, there is also evidence that contradicts the claim of Iroquois influence. For example, the congressional journals and other documentary compilations from the time contain no references to the political structures of the Iroquois. The Iroquois are mentioned only in the context of land titles, fishery disputes, diplomatic relationships, and the Iroquois River. Additionally, those who assert Iroquois influence often focus on Benjamin Franklin's career, but it is important to note that Franklin's proposed Plan of Union in 1754 may have been written by Thomas Hutchinson and primarily focused on colonial-Indian relations rather than the Iroquois form of government.
In conclusion, while there is evidence to suggest that the Iroquois Constitution may have influenced the US Constitution, the extent of this influence is debated. The Iroquois Confederacy's democratic principles and federalist model of government may have inspired the framers of the US Constitution, but it is important to acknowledge that other factors and ideas also shaped the development of the US constitutional system.
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The Iroquois Confederacy is the longest-standing democracy on Earth
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, is often described as the oldest, longest-standing participatory democracy on Earth. It was founded by the prophet known as the Peacemaker, with the help of Aionwatha, or Hiawatha, in 1142. The Confederacy is comprised of six unified Iroquois nations: the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas, and, from 1722, the Tuscarora nation.
The Confederacy is governed by a constitution called the Great Law of Peace, which consists of 117 codicils. Each nation maintains its own council with chiefs chosen by the Clan Mother and deals with its own internal affairs, but a Grand Council deals with issues affecting the nations within the confederacy. The structure of the Confederacy was federal in nature, with individual tribes handling their own affairs but coming together to solve issues of common importance.
The Iroquois Confederacy is believed to have influenced the U.S. Constitution. In 1987, on the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution, The New York Times published an article titled "Iroquois Constitution: A Forerunner to Colonists' Democratic Principles," which discussed how the Iroquois Confederacy influenced the framers of the U.S. Constitution. In 1988, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution recognizing that the republic "was influenced by the Iroquois Confederacy" and that "many of the democratic principles were incorporated into the constitution itself."
Some of the specific influences of the Iroquois Confederacy on the U.S. Constitution include the concept of separating responsibilities in government to ensure a balance of power, not allowing people to hold offices across multiple branches to avoid overpowering any particular individual, and ensuring a process for removing leaders from power for crimes and misdemeanors (i.e., impeachment). Additionally, the Iroquois Confederacy's focus on "unification through mutual defense and the conduct of foreign affairs" may have influenced the constitutional framers' thinking on federalism.
However, it is important to note that some sources dispute the extent of the Iroquois Confederacy's influence on the U.S. Constitution. While acknowledging that the Iroquois Confederacy was of particular interest to the framers, these sources argue that there is a lack of direct evidence in the records of the Constitutional Convention and that the influence may have been overstated.
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Frequently asked questions
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, was founded in 1142 and is considered one of the longest-standing democracies on earth.
The Iroquois Confederacy was a union of six nations: the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas, and, from 1722, the Tuscarora.
The Iroquois Confederacy was governed by a constitution called the Great Law of Peace.
The Iroquois Confederacy's constitution blended law and values, treating law, society, and nature as equal partners. A core tenet was a focus on the "seventh generation," meaning decisions were designed for sustainability and to benefit at least seven generations into the future.
Historians argue that the Iroquois Confederacy influenced the US Constitution. The Iroquois Confederacy provided a real-life example of some political concepts the framers were interested in adopting, such as a multi-state government with a balance of power and a process for removing leaders from power. However, others claim that the Iroquois Confederacy was not a significant influence, and that references to it in relation to the US Constitution are a myth.
