Jonah Patel
The Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, is an oral constitution that establishes a legislative confederacy and outlines the rights, duties, and qualifications for the male lords of the tribes. The audience of the Iroquois Constitution consists of the Native Americans of the Six Nations, including the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora peoples. The purpose of the constitution is to provide a framework for governing the Iroquois society and to promote peace and cooperation among the member nations. While some scholars argue that the Iroquois Constitution influenced the development of the U.S. Constitution, others dispute this claim, highlighting significant differences between the two forms of government.
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What You'll Learn
The Iroquois Constitution's influence on the US Constitution
The Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, is believed to have influenced the US Constitution. The Iroquois Constitution dates back to around the 12th century, with some estimates placing it as far back as 1450. It was passed down orally through the generations and established a legislative confederacy, outlining the rights, duties, and qualifications for tribal leaders.
The Iroquois Confederacy consisted of six nations: the Mohawks, the Onondaga, the Cayuga, the Oneida, the Seneca, and the Tuscarora, who joined in 1722. Each tribe sent its leaders to legislative sessions, where proposals were deliberated and decisions were made through a consensus-seeking process. This multi-state government model, where each nation maintained its individual governance while also being part of a larger confederacy, caught the attention of the framers of the US Constitution.
In 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met to debate the form of government the United States should adopt. With no contemporary democracies in Europe to draw from, the democratic governments of Native American nations, particularly the Iroquois Confederacy, provided a unique and tangible example of the political concepts they sought to implement. This influence was acknowledged by Congress in 1988, which passed a resolution recognizing the impact of the Iroquois Constitution on the American Constitution and Bill of Rights.
The specific ways in which the Iroquois Constitution influenced the US Constitution are a subject of debate among scholars. Some argue that the federal structure of the US Constitution, the notion of individual liberty, and the separation of powers were inspired by the Iroquois model. The Suffragette movement, which advocated for women's suffrage, was also influenced by the Iroquois government, where women played a significant role in tribal leadership and decision-making.
However, it is important to note that the US Constitution, as originally enacted, differed significantly from the Iroquois Constitution. For example, the original US Constitution allowed for the denial of suffrage to women and majority rule instead of consensus decision-making. Additionally, the complex governance structure of the Iroquois Confederacy, with its emphasis on balance and communal living, cannot be directly equated with the US constitutional framework.
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The role of women in the Iroquois Constitution
The Iroquois Constitution, or the Great Law of Peace, dates back to around 1450. It was passed through the generations orally and outlines the Iroquois' origin story and the narrative of the foundation of the confederacy. The Iroquois Confederacy is the oldest participatory democracy in the world, and its constitution establishes a legislative body that balances power between several nations.
The Iroquois society was structured around a matrilineal family system, with women holding significant power. The right to attend council meetings was inherited through the female line, meaning mothers had considerable influence over their sons, who were the representatives. If one of the lords could not attend, the woman leader of his family would select an alternative. The Clan Mothers could also remove and replace men in charge if they were not doing their jobs.
While men were the hunters and warriors, and also served as chiefs and sachems, women grew crops and looked after the longhouses. In the 1600s, Iroquois women decided they wanted a say in declaring war. They took advantage of their role as child bearers and their control over supplies to gain the power to veto any war, regardless of how the men voted. Even before this, women could deny men supplies, effectively preventing war.
The Iroquois Confederacy inspired the women's rights movement in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. The society of the Iroquois served as a model for gender equality, with women having a voice in political affairs and controlling their presence in the collective government. The 19th-century American feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who had Iroquois neighbours in upstate New York, was inspired by their notion of gender equality. The Iroquois' influence extended beyond the women's rights movement, with some historians arguing that the ideas in the United States' representational democracy were inspired, in part, by the Constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy.
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The Iroquois Constitution's narrative and origins
The Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, is the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. The law was represented by symbols on wampum belts, which functioned as mnemonic devices for storytellers. The Iroquois Constitution establishes a legislative confederacy and tells the narrative of the foundation of the confederacy and its original leaders.
The Iroquois Constitution was originally created by the Confederacy of Five Nations, which consisted of the Mohawk, Onondaga, Seneca, Oneida, and Cayuga tribes. The sixth nation, the Tuscarora, joined later in 1722. The main organiser of the Confederacy and the Constitution was a man named Dekanawida, also known as the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha. The Constitution was passed down orally throughout history and was first recorded and transmitted by means of wampum shell-bead belts that encoded the message in a sequence of pictograms. In the 19th century, it was translated into English and other languages.
The Iroquois Constitution's exact date of origin is unknown, but it is thought to date back to between the late 12th century and 1500 AD, with some sources narrowing this down to around 1450. The Constitution was important because it established peace between the Native American tribes of northern New York. It also played a role in influencing the U.S. Constitution, with similarities between the two documents. However, the extent of this influence is debated by historians.
The Iroquois Constitution consists of a narrative telling the origins of the Iroquois people and the story of the founders of the confederacy. As the legend goes, the prophet Deganawidah travelled across the warring indigenous tribes to spread his message of peace and cooperation. Deganawidah envisioned that peace could be achieved if people committed to diplomacy and changed their way of life to live together in communal longhouses. One of his first converts was the warrior woman Jigonhsee, who had provided hospitality to warriors from rival tribes. Another early convert was Hiawatha.
The Constitution established a legislative body that balanced power between the nations. Each tribe sent its leaders to a legislative session, where proposals, cases, or questions were deliberated and decided upon. The Mohawks were the leaders of the Iroquois as they chose to follow the Great Prophet first, and no council occurred without them. The Great Law of Peace established the rights, duties, and qualifications for the male lords that the tribes would send to the council.
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The legislative process outlined in the Iroquois Constitution
The Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, outlines a legislative process that involves the participation of all six tribes within the Iroquois Confederacy. Each tribe sends its leaders to a legislative session, where proposals, cases, or questions are deliberated and decided upon through a structured process.
The legislative process begins with the Mohawk and Seneca, who discuss and vote on the proposal. If they reach an agreement, the proposal then moves to the Oneida and Cayuga for further deliberation. Following this, the Onondaga tribe acts as a mediator, reviewing the proposal and finding a balance between the decisions of the previous two tribes. If the Onondaga tribe disagrees with the majority decision of the other four tribes, the proposal is sent back to them for reconsideration. However, if the other four tribes unanimously stand by their decision, the Onondaga tribe must then agree.
The Mohawks are recognised as the leaders of the Iroquois due to their early acceptance of the teachings of the Great Peacemaker, Deganawidah. As a result, no council meetings or legislative sessions take place without their presence.
The Iroquois Constitution also establishes the rights, duties, and qualifications for the male lords who represent their tribes in the council meetings. These lords are expected to uphold high moral standards, abstaining from gossip and dishonesty. The right to attend these council meetings is passed down through the female line, giving mothers significant influence over their sons, who represent their tribe.
The legislative process of the Iroquois Constitution played a significant role in shaping the development of democratic principles and influenced the legislative processes of other nations, including the United States Constitution. While there are differences between the two systems, the influence of the Iroquois Confederacy on the democratic ideals and legislative processes of other societies is recognised and studied.
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The Great Law of Peace
The Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, is the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. The law dates back to around the 12th or 15th century and was passed down through the generations by spoken word. It is said to have been conceived by Dekanawidah, known as the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha.
The united Iroquois nations are symbolized by an eastern white pine tree, called the Tree of Peace. Each nation or tribe plays a delineated role in the conduct of government. The Great Law of Peace is presented as part of a narrative noting laws and ceremonies to be performed at prescribed times. The laws were first recorded and transmitted by means of wampum, shell-bead belts that encoded the message in a sequence of pictograms.
The Iroquois Constitution's primary purpose was to organise Iroquois society and provide rules for its government. It established a legislative body that balanced power between several nations. The laws, called a constitution, are divided into 117 articles.
The Iroquois Constitution has been said to have influenced the United States Constitution. However, this is disputed by some scholars who argue that the two forms of government are very different.
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Frequently asked questions
The Iroquois Constitution is intended for the Native Americans of the Six Nations, which include the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora peoples.
The Iroquois Constitution, also known as the Great Law of Peace, serves as a guide for the leaders of the Six Nations to govern their people and maintain peace.
The Iroquois Constitution emphasizes the importance of peace, diplomacy, and cooperation between the nations. It establishes a legislative body that balances power between the nations and outlines the rights, duties, and qualifications of the male lords representing each tribe in the council.
The Iroquois Constitution was originally passed down through generations orally and through symbols on wampum belts, which served as mnemonic devices for storytellers. The laws were later recorded and translated into English and other languages in the 19th century.
There are claims that the Iroquois Constitution influenced the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. However, this theory is disputed by scholars who point out significant differences between the two forms of government and the cultural contexts in which they were created.
