Malcolm Rivera
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the League of Five Nations, the Iroquois League, the Six Nations, and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, is a group of Native Americans and First Nations peoples in northeastern North America. The Iroquois Confederacy originally consisted of five nations: the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. In 1722, the Iroquoian-speaking Tuscarora people from the southeast joined the confederacy, bringing the total number of nations to six. The Iroquois lived in villages with long wooden buildings called longhouses, where multiple families would live together.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Native Americans and First Nations peoples in northeast North America | 5,500 in the 17th century |
| Iroquoian-speaking | 45,000 in Canada and 81,000 in the US in 2010 |
| Also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards | 52,557 in the US in 1990 |
| The peoples of the Iroquois included (from east to west) the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca | 74,518 in Canada and the US in 1995 |
| The Iroquois Confederacy established that each nation should handle their own affairs | 8 reservations in New York and Wisconsin and 2 in Ontario, Canada |
| The Iroquois lived in villages with long wooden buildings called “longhouses” | Federally recognized tribes |
| The Iroquois remained a large politically united Native American polity until the American Revolution |
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What You'll Learn
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Six Nations
The Iroquois Confederacy is also referred to by the endonym Haudenosaunee, which means "people who are building the longhouse" or "people of the longhouse". The term "Iroquois" is of colonial origin, derived from a Huron word meaning "black snakes". The Iroquois Confederacy is considered the oldest association of its kind in North America, with some scholars believing the Five Nations formed their Iroquois League in the 12th century, while others argue it was formed around 1450. The confederacy was founded by the prophet known as the Peacemaker, with the help of Aionwatha, or Hiawatha. The exact date of the joining of the nations is unknown, but it is considered one of the world's first and longest-lasting participatory democracies.
The Iroquois Confederacy established that each nation should handle its own affairs, with each nation maintaining its own council with chiefs chosen by the clan mother, the oldest woman in each clan. The chiefs from each nation formed the Grand Council of Chiefs, which made decisions for the confederacy, with the rule that the Council's vote had to be unanimous. The Iroquois Confederacy established the Great Law, or the Great Law of Peace, which set the rules for settling disputes between the tribes and helped end generation-old feuds. The law also dictated a principle of sustainability, stating that decisions made in the present should lead to sustainability for seven generations into the future.
The Iroquois Confederacy was a politically united Native American polity until the American Revolution, when the League was divided by conflicting views on how to respond to the British Crown. After their defeat, the Iroquois were ceded land by the British, but it was not equivalent to their earlier territory, and many had to abandon their lands and relocate.
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The Five Nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca
The Iroquois, also known as the Five Nations, were based in what is now central and west New York State, including the Finger Lakes region, when Europeans first arrived in North America. The Five Nations, from east to west, were the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. The Mohawk were known as the Keepers of the Eastern Door within the confederacy, and the Seneca were the Keepers of the Western Door. The Onondagas in the middle were the keepers of the central fire. Together, these three were referred to as the Elder Brothers and they represented half of the longhouse families. The Cayuga, Oneida, and Tuscarora nations were the Younger Brothers and they represented the other families that completed the house.
The Five Nations were founded by Dekanawida the Great Peacemaker, Hiawatha, and Jigonhsasee the Mother of Nations, whose home acted as a sort of United Nations. They brought the Peacemaker's Great Law of Peace to the warring Iroquoian nations. According to legend, an evil Onondaga chieftain named Tadodaho was the last converted to the ways of peace by The Great Peacemaker and Hiawatha. He was offered the position as the titular chair of the League's Council, representing the unity of all nations of the League. A wampum belt, known as the Hiawatha Belt, was made to record the event. It is made of purple shells with five symbols across the centre, representing each nation.
During the American Revolution, the Iroquois were split on who to side with. The Oneida and Tuscarora decided to support the American colonists, while the Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga, and Cayuga remained loyal to Great Britain.
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The Six Nations' longhouses
The Iroquois, also known as the Five Nations and later as the Six Nations, are a confederacy of Native Americans and First Nations peoples in northeastern North America. They are known as the "Haudenosaunee", which translates to "People of the Longhouse". The Six Nations Longhouse is a recreation of a 17th-century longhouse, located in Six Nations, Ontario, about an hour from Toronto.
The longhouse, named 'Ganǫsa'ǫ: weh' or "The Real House", is a massive, multi-storey wooden building where several families would live together. Each family was entitled to one section of the longhouse, and fire-keepers ensured that the three fires always remained lit. The smoke would seep out through small holes in the roof.
The Iroquois Nations are comparable to a large longhouse, stretching from the east to the west. The Mohawk Nation is the keeper of the eastern door, the Seneca of the western door, and the Onondagas in the middle are the keepers of the central fire. Together, these three are referred to as the elder brothers, making up half of the longhouse families. The Cayuga, Oneida, and Tuscarora Nations are the younger brothers, completing the other half of the families.
The Six Nations Longhouse is a project of the Ogwehoweh Skills and Trades Training Centre (OSTTC), offering locals the opportunity to learn important skills and gain insight into the history of the local people. Visitors can explore how families lived together in the longhouses and examine displays of archaeological finds and modern-day First Nations artwork and tools.
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The Grand Council of Chiefs
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee, was formed by the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations. In 1722, the Iroquoian-speaking Tuscarora people joined the confederacy, after which it became known as the "Six Nations".
The Iroquois Confederacy was governed by a Council of Chiefs, also known as the Grand Council. The Grand Council is the world's oldest representative democracy. It is a large group of 50 chiefs who represent each of the Six Nations. The chiefs are also referred to as Hoyaneh or "caretakers of the peace". The role of the chiefs is to teach and spiritually guide their people, reminding them of how the Creator wanted them to live their lives in peace. They are responsible for the care and welfare of their clan, nation, and the Confederacy.
The chiefs are chosen by the Clan Mother, who is the most powerful position in the government. The Clan Mother selects a candidate to replace a chief, usually within three days of the funeral. This candidate is then presented to the brother nation for approval, after which it is presented to the other members of the Grand Council. The Clan Mother is the only person who can remove a chief from his position if she feels he is not doing his job properly. She also ensures that all decisions made by the Grand Council are "in line" with the Great Law of Peace and that all voices are heard and treated respectfully.
In the Grand Council, the leaders are divided into three benches. The first bench holds the Elder Brothers, where the Mohawk and Seneca chiefs sit and deliberate together. The second bench is called the Younger Brothers, where the Oneida and Cayuga chiefs sit and deliberate. The third bench is called the Firekeepers, which holds the Onondaga chiefs. Each chief has an equal voice and responsibility in the matters of the Haudenosaunee.
Pine Tree Chiefs are selected to join the Grand Council by the chiefs because they have a special interest in public affairs and show special abilities. A Pine Tree Chief who acts against the rules of the Great Peace will not be removed from his position, but his advice will not be considered.
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The Iroquois' influence on the US Constitution
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Six Nations, is a group of Native Americans and First Nations peoples in northeastern North America. The peoples of the Iroquois include the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. In 1722, the Iroquoian-speaking Tuscarora people were accepted into the confederacy.
The Iroquois Confederacy is said to have influenced the US Constitution. When the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met in 1787, they had no contemporary democracies in Europe to draw inspiration from. The most democratic forms of government that the convention members had encountered were those of Native American nations, particularly the Iroquois Confederacy.
The Iroquois Confederacy was a multi-state government that maintained individual governance and freedoms. The structure of the Confederacy represented five tribes, with each tribe handling its own affairs but coming together to solve issues of common importance. The Iroquois Confederacy was governed by a Council of Chiefs, which included forty-nine chiefs and the chief of chiefs. The Council's vote had to be unanimous, but if it was not, each tribe could act independently.
The Iroquois Confederacy's political structure and the Great Law of Peace, its oral constitution, impressed the founders of the US Constitution. The Great Law of Peace included a doctrine of 117 codicils, and it is said to have influenced the writings of the US Constitution. However, some sources dispute the extent of the Iroquois Confederacy's influence, stating that the congressional journals and Constitutional Convention records do not reflect a significant influence.
In 1988, Congress passed a resolution formally acknowledging the influence of the Iroquois Confederacy on the US Constitution. This resolution also reaffirmed the legitimacy and sovereignty of Native nations and their governments.
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Frequently asked questions
The Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca.
The Iroquois Confederacy became known as the Six Nations when the Iroquoian-speaking Tuscarora people from the southeast joined the union.
The Iroquois refer to themselves as the Haudenosaunee, meaning "people of the longhouse".
