4: The Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee) Flashcards
What is the name that the people of the Six Nations call themselves?
Haudenosaunee
‘Haudenosaunee’ means ‘people who build’ and refers to the Iroquois Confederacy.
What name did French settlers use to refer to the Haudenosaunee?
Iroquois
This name is also used in historical documents.
What is the main purpose of the United Nations?
Works for world peace and builds cooperation among countries
It also protects the rights of people.
In what year did the Haudenosaunee make a speech to the United Nations?
1977
This speech conveyed their message about peace and the environment.
What did the Peacemaker advocate for among human beings?
Ceasing to abuse and hurt one another
He emphasized the capacity for reason and the desire for peace.
What is the original purpose of laws according to the Peacemaker’s message?
To prevent the abuse of humans by other humans
The message emphasized the organization of people for peace.
What does the Peacemaker’s story symbolize in the context of the Haudenosaunee?
A message about peace and the environment
This is linked to their ancestral beliefs.
Fill in the blank: The Peacemaker traveled among the nations in a _______.
white stone canoe
This imagery is part of one version of the Peacemaker’s story.
True or False: The Haudenosaunee believe they have a message relevant to modern global issues.
True
They see their message of peace as applicable in today’s world.
What does the term ‘Longhouse’ refer to in Haudenosaunee culture?
The traditional dwelling of the Haudenosaunee people
It symbolizes their communal lifestyle.
Who is known as the Peacemaker?
A figure who traveled among the people, offering a way of peace, reason, and power.
The Peacemaker is a central figure in Iroquois history, credited with bringing peace among the nations.
Which nation did the Peacemaker first approach?
The Ganienkegaga, or the People of the Flint Stone (Mohawk).
The Ganienkegaga are one of the original five nations involved in the formation of the Iroquois Confederacy.
Name the five nations that initially accepted the Peacemaker’s offer of peace.
- Mohawk
- Oneida
- Onondaga
- Cayuga
- Seneca
These nations formed the basis of the Iroquois Confederacy.
What is the Gayaneshakgowa?
The Great Law of Peace.
It outlines the principles by which the Iroquois Confederacy agreed to live.
What significant act was performed under the Tree of Peace?
The burial of weapons.
This act symbolized the commitment to peace among the nations.
What was created as a result of the Peacemaker’s efforts?
A confederacy of five nations.
This confederacy eventually expanded to include a sixth nation, the Tuscarora.
In what time period did the Tuscarora join the Iroquois Confederacy?
In the early 1700s.
The Tuscarora’s acceptance completed the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy.
What is a confederacy?
A partnership agreed upon by nations or groups of people.
This term is crucial for understanding the structure of the Iroquois Confederacy.
How did the decision-making of the Iroquois Confederacy differ from that of the ancient Greeks?
The Iroquois Confederacy had a distinct approach to democratic ideas about equality, equity, and participation.
This difference highlights the unique governance structure of the Iroquois.
To what extent was the Iroquois Confederacy a representative democracy?
The extent is subject to inquiry and analysis.
This question invites deeper exploration of the political systems in place within the Confederacy.
What were Iroquois homes or longhouses covered in?
Elm bark
Longhouses were wood frames covered in elm bark.
In which year was the longhouse built around 1640 reconstructed?
1960s
The longhouse was reconstructed in the 1960s.
What is an Iroquois clan?
A large group of families who are related to one another
Each clan is associated with a different animal.
Where do most Haudenosaunee live today?
Northeastern United States and southeastern Canada
Some still follow the ways of governing set by the Peacemaker.
What was the state of the nations that formed the Confederacy before the Peacemaker?
At war with one another
The five Iroquois nations had much in common despite being at war.
What were longhouses central to in Iroquois society?
Social structure
Longhouses were the center of Iroquois society.
How many clans were the Iroquois nations divided into?
Nine clans
Clans were led by clan mothers.
Who led the clans in Iroquois society?
Clan mothers
All people in a longhouse were descendants of the same clan mother.
Name one of the animals associated with Iroquois clans.
Bear, Wolf, Turtle, Snipe, Eel, Heron, Hawk, Beaver, Deer
These animals identify the clans.
True or False: A Mohawk of the Turtle clan is related to a Seneca Turtle clan member.
True
Animal clans are related.
What would families do as they grew larger in Iroquois society?
Extend the longhouse by building onto the end
Some longhouses were almost as long as a football field.
How many longhouses could be found in a small Iroquois village?
Four or five longhouses
Large villages could have 50 or more longhouses.
Who created the sculpture ‘Clan Animals on the Turtle’s Back’?
Wayne Skye
He is a member of the Cayuga Wolf clan.
What is the role of women in Iroquois society?
Women had positions of respect, owned property and homes, and were responsible for planting and tending gardens.
Women carried the seeds of future generations and plant life.
What are the ‘Three Sisters’ in Iroquois agriculture?
Corn, beans, and squash.
These crops were the main food supply of the Iroquois.
How did marriage affect living arrangements in Iroquois society?
The husband would come to live in the wife’s family’s longhouse.
Their children belonged to the mother’s clan.
Who were the clan mothers in Iroquois society?
Leaders of the clan responsible for selecting chiefs.
The title was usually passed to female relatives such as sisters or daughters.
What was the significance of the Great Law of Peace for clan mothers?
It gave clan mothers ownership of the chieftainship title.
This established their authority in selecting clan chiefs.
What crop was considered the ‘brother’ of the ‘Three Sisters’?
Tobacco.
Tobacco was smoked on ceremonial occasions.
True or False: Clan mothers have lost their importance in contemporary Iroquois society.
False.
Clan mothers today have as much importance and respect as they did in the past.
Fill in the blank: Women in Iroquois society raised _______.
corn, beans, and squash.
What does the drawing mentioned in the text represent?
How the Iroquois see their identity.
It highlights the concept of extended family and union of nations.
What is the primary role of women in tending to the community’s food supply?
They plant and tend the gardens.
This includes the cultivation of the ‘Three Sisters.’
What leadership characteristics are valued by the Haudenosaunee society?
• Honesty and kind-heartedness
• Ability to think clearly
• Knowledge of traditional ceremonies
• Loyalty to family
• Ability to uphold the Great Law
• Ability to represent the people fairly
• Ability to withstand criticism
These characteristics reflect the values of the Haudenosaunee society in their leadership selection process.
What role did the clan mother play in choosing a chief?
The clan mother looked for specific characteristics in a chief, such as honesty, loyalty, and the ability to represent the people fairly.
The clan mother is a significant figure in Haudenosaunee society, responsible for selecting the chief based on essential leadership traits.
What is the significance of lacrosse in Haudenosaunee culture?
Lacrosse is played for fun but also trains players for leadership, endurance, strength, and speed for hunting and warfare.
Lacrosse is recognized as Canada’s national sport and plays a vital role in preparing players for various life tasks.
What responsibilities did men have in Iroquois society?
Men served as chiefs on the Grand Council, organized hunting and fishing parties, constructed longhouses and canoes, and organized team sports like lacrosse.
Despite women heading the clans, men played crucial roles in governance and community sustenance.
True or False: Women decided whether or not to declare war in Iroquois society.
True
Women held significant influence in decision-making processes regarding warfare within the Iroquois Confederacy.
Fill in the blank: The sculpture ‘Emergence of the Chief’ was created by artist ______ in 2005.
Dave McGary
The sculpture represents a clan mother instructing a new head chief and highlights the importance of leadership roles within the Mohawk Nation.
What was the outcome of the formation of the Confederacy among the Iroquois?
Fighting among the Iroquois stopped, but warfare continued with external nations.
The Confederacy aimed to promote peace among the Iroquois tribes, reducing internal conflict.
How did lacrosse contribute to the community beyond being a sport?
It built leadership skills and physical attributes necessary for hunting and warfare.
The sport’s cultural significance extends beyond recreation, serving as a training ground for essential life skills.
What is wampum?
Strings or belts made up of white and purple beads cut from certain kinds of shells
What did each wampum string or belt hold?
A different message
What did the use of wampum suggest?
The seriousness of the message and the sincerity of the maker
What is the Great Law of Peace?
The constitution of the Iroquois that describes principles of good living and governance
How long would it take to recite the Great Law of Peace?
Days
How did the Iroquois help remember the Great Law?
By using wampum belts
Who was responsible for caring for wampum?
A wampum keeper
What was the role of the wampum keeper?
To read the wampum and recall events or treaties it recorded
How did wampum keepers recall information?
By passing their hands along the belt, bead by bead, using texture as a reminder
Who made the wampum belts?
Iroquois women
At what age were wampum keepers typically trained?
Younger than the current age of the learner
What did Hiawatha introduce to his people according to Iroquois tradition?
Wampum
Fill in the blank: The first Grand Council was done by _______.
[John Kahionhes Fadden]
In what other ways do societies record their history and laws?
True or False: Wampum was only used by men in Iroquois society.
False
What is a collective identity?
A shared belief system that often includes the same language, culture, values, and attitudes.
What is the Hiawatha Wampum?
A primary source of information about the Iroquois.
How many nations are represented in the Hiawatha Wampum?
Five nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca.
What does the Onondaga symbol in the centre of the Hiawatha Wampum represent?
The Tree of Peace.
What do the lines joining the five images on the Hiawatha Wampum signify?
The connection of the five nations to one another.
What do the two lines extending from the squares at the ends of the Hiawatha Belt represent?
The Path of Peace by which other nations are welcomed to join the Confederacy.
What does the white color on the Hiawatha Belt symbolize?
No evil or jealous thought shall creep into the minds of the chiefs while in Council under the Great Peace.
What does white symbolize in the context of the Hiawatha Wampum?
Peace, love, charity, and equity.
What does Wampum often represent?
Treaties among two groups of people.
What is the significance of the Two Row Wampum Treaty?
It symbolizes the relationship between the Iroquois and the European nations that settled in North America.
What does one purple row of beads in the Two Row Wampum Treaty represent?
The path of the Iroquois canoe that carried their culture, laws, and beliefs.
What does the other purple row in the Two Row Wampum Treaty symbolize?
The path of a sailing ship carrying the Europeans’ culture, laws, and beliefs.
What do the three white background rows in the Two Row Wampum Treaty symbolize?
Peace, friendship, and respect between the two groups.
Fill in the blank: The Great Law of Peace exists as a _______.
[written document]
True or False: The Hiawatha Wampum is only a decorative item and has no historical significance.
False
What is the function of wampum as a primary source?
It tells us about Iroquois history.
Who was Chief Dekaheh?
Chief Dekaheh was from the Cayuga Nation and traveled to Geneva in 1923 to defend the rights of his people.
What happened to Chief Dekaheh during his speech at the League of Nations?
He was not allowed to speak.
What does the Council of the Six Nations aim to defend?
The rights of the Iroquois to live under their own laws.
According to Chief Dekaheh, what rights do the Iroquois hold?
The rights to worship their Great Spirit in their own way and to enjoy rights equal to those of white men.
Fill in the blank: The Confederacy can be compared to a huge _______ that stretched over the territory of the Iroquois.
longhouse
Name the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy.
- Mohawk
- Cayuga
- Oneida
- Seneca
- Onondaga
- Tuscarora
What was the duty of the chiefs according to the Great Law of Peace?
To be teachers and spiritual guides.
How were chiefs perceived in Iroquois society?
They were treated with great respect but considered the same as everyone else.
What is the role of the Faithkeeper in the Iroquois society?
To maintain customs, traditions, values, and history of the clan and uphold the Great Law of Peace.
Who is Chiel Leon Shenandoah?
Fire Keeper for the Haudenosaunee.
What was the significance of the Earth Summit in 1992 for Chiel Leon Shenandoah?
He represented the Haudenosaunee at the Earth Summit.
What role did the chiefs play in their society?
They looked after the welfare of their people and ran the affairs of the clan, the nation, and the Confederacy. They also upheld the rule of law.
Who were the war chiefs?
Selected by each of the nations to sit on the Grand Council and gather warriors for fighting in wartime.
What are pine tree chiefs?
Chiefs who showed special abilities or had an interest in public affairs, selected to join the Grand Council.
What did the Great Law of Peace establish?
A Grand Council made up of 50 chiefs representing the nations of the Confederacy.
How were the number of chiefs determined for each nation?
Nations with large populations had more chiefs than smaller nations, but all were equal.
How many chiefs did the Mohawk Nation have?
Nine chiefs.
How many chiefs did the Oneida Nation have?
Nine chiefs.
How many chiefs did the Onondaga Nation have?
Fourteen chiefs.
How many chiefs did the Cayuga Nation have?
Ten chiefs.
How many chiefs did the Seneca Nation have?
Eight chiefs.
Who represented the Tuscarora in the Grand Council?
The Chiefs of the Oneida.
Who could remove a chief from their position?
The clan mother.
What could cause a chief to lose their position?
- Committing a serious crime such as murder
- Refusing to attend meetings of the Grand Council
- Not listening to and representing the views of the people
- Disobeying the Great Law
- Not acting with the welfare of the people in mind
Who chose new chiefs?
The clan mothers.
What did the clan mothers ensure regarding the Grand Council’s decisions?
That all decisions agreed with the Great Law of Peace.
What was the role of clan mothers in discussions at the Grand Council?
They watched over discussions, ensured all voices were heard, and pointed out any mistakes.
Who was Thayendanegea?
A famous war chief of the Mohawk Nation, whose English name was Joseph Brant.
What is Brantford, Ontario named after?
Thayendanegea, also known as Joseph Brant.
True or False: The chiefs of the Confederacy were not equal to one another.
False.
Fill in the blank: The _______ could remove a chief who was not doing his job properly.
[clan mother]
What does the image of the chiefs on the seal suggest?
Unity and equality.
What do successive descendants in a family make up?
Generations
Name three generations of a family.
- Grandparents
- Parents
- Children
What three things must chiefs consider when making laws?
- Effect on peace
- Effect on the natural world
- Effect on seven generations in the future
Who stated that lawmakers should think about the consequences of their decisions?
Carol Jacobs, Cayuga Bear clan mother
What is the significance of the seventh generation in decision-making?
Chiefs must consider how their decisions will affect the lives of their people for seven generations (over 200 years).
What is one expectation of politicians in Canada regarding future generations?
To make decisions that will have positive effects on future generations.
True or False: The Tree of Peace is an important symbol of the Iroquois.
True
What do the roots of the Tree of Peace symbolize?
Pathways to the Great Law for other nations.
What does the eagle at the top of the Tree of Peace do?
Spots approaching danger and warns the Iroquois.
What did the Peacemaker ask the nations to do before planting the Tree of Peace?
Throw their articles of war into the pit.
What symbolizes the weapons buried by the Iroquois under the Tree of Peace?
The war club
Fill in the blank: The Tree of Peace was drawn by _______.
John Fadden
What was the purpose of the Great Law?
To ensure that the Iroquois could live together in peace and harmony.
The Great Law established democratic principles for decision making among the Iroquois Confederacy.
What principle of equality was present in the Grand Council?
All chiefs had the same level of authority, regardless of the number of chiefs from different nations.
This principle ensured equal representation among the nations in the Confederacy.
Who had the authority to nominate chiefs in the Grand Council?
Women had the authority to nominate the chiefs.
Although only men served on the Grand Council, women played a crucial role in leadership selection.
What role did the clan system play in the Confederacy?
It ensured that no one nation could dominate the Confederacy by splitting loyalty between clans and nations.
This system promoted both democracy and unity within the Confederacy.
What happened to the Tuscarora Nation when Europeans arrived?
Many Tuscarora fell sick and died from diseases, and they faced conflicts with settlers who wanted to take over their lands.
This led to a significant decline in their population and loss of territory.
Where did many Tuscarora move in the early 1700s?
They moved north to New York State.
The Tuscarora later joined the Iroquois Confederacy as the sixth nation.
How did the ideas of fairness and equality manifest in the Hiawatha Wampum belt?
The Hiawatha Wampum belt symbolizes the principles of fairness and equality among the nations.
It is a visual representation of the agreements and unity within the Confederacy.
Fill in the blank: Authority in the Grand Council was shared between _______.
[men and women]
True or False: Only men were members of the Grand Council.
True
Despite this, women had significant influence through their nomination power.
What was the effect of the clan system on individual loyalty?
It split loyalty between clan and nation.
This balancing act was crucial for maintaining democracy within the Confederacy.
What is the definition of consensus in decision making?
Consensus is a decision-making process where all people affected by the decision have an equal voice and agree on the final outcome.
This process emphasizes fairness and equality in Iroquois society.
What role does the Council fire play in Iroquois decision making?
The Council fire purifies the words of the chiefs and ensures they speak the truth.
This tradition is significant in the Grand Council meetings.
Who kindled the Council fire at the Grand Council meeting?
The Onondaga kindled the Council fire at the beginning of the Grand Council meeting.
This act is a ceremonial start to the decision-making process.
What does the Great Law of Peace outline?
The Great Law of Peace outlines a system of decision making that allows everyone a voice and requires the agreement of all.
This system was crucial for maintaining fairness in the Iroquois Confederacy.
What is required for effective consensus decision making?
Effective consensus decision making requires open-mindedness and a willingness to support the group’s best interests.
This may involve individuals accepting decisions that are not their first choice.
Why is open-mindedness important in consensus decision making?
Open-mindedness is important because it allows members of society to consider different perspectives and contribute to a collective decision.
This fosters cooperation and unity within the group.
What challenge did the Peacemaker face in the Iroquois Confederacy?
The Peacemaker faced the challenge of getting five different nations and their clans to agree on issues.
This highlights the complexity of consensus in diverse groups.
What are the roles of the Mohawk and Seneca in the Grand Council?
The Mohawk and Seneca are known as the Elder Brothers in the Grand Council.
Their roles reflect their status as the first nations to join the Confederacy.
What is the role of the Onondaga in the Grand Council?
The Onondaga have the position of Fire Keepers in the Grand Council.
They play a vital role in maintaining the ceremonial aspects of decision making.
What are the Oneida and Cayuga known as in the Grand Council?
The Oneida and Cayuga are known as the Younger Brothers in the Grand Council.
Their designation reflects their later joining of the Confederacy.
Fill in the blank: The process of Grand Council decision making is laid out in the _______.
Great Law of Peace
This law serves as the foundational document for governance in the Iroquois Confederacy.
What is the definition of consensus in decision making?
Consensus is a decision-making process where all people affected by the decision have an equal voice and agree on the final outcome.
This process emphasizes fairness and equality in Iroquois society.
What role does the Council fire play in Iroquois decision making?
The Council fire purifies the words of the chiefs and ensures they speak the truth.
This tradition is significant in the Grand Council meetings.
Who kindled the Council fire at the Grand Council meeting?
The Onondaga kindled the Council fire at the beginning of the Grand Council meeting.
This act is a ceremonial start to the decision-making process.
What does the Great Law of Peace outline?
The Great Law of Peace outlines a system of decision making that allows everyone a voice and requires the agreement of all.
This system was crucial for maintaining fairness in the Iroquois Confederacy.
What is required for effective consensus decision making?
Effective consensus decision making requires open-mindedness and a willingness to support the group’s best interests.
This may involve individuals accepting decisions that are not their first choice.
Why is open-mindedness important in consensus decision making?
Open-mindedness is important because it allows members of society to consider different perspectives and contribute to a collective decision.
This fosters cooperation and unity within the group.
What challenge did the Peacemaker face in the Iroquois Confederacy?
The Peacemaker faced the challenge of getting five different nations and their clans to agree on issues.
This highlights the complexity of consensus in diverse groups.
What are the roles of the Mohawk and Seneca in the Grand Council?
The Mohawk and Seneca are known as the Elder Brothers in the Grand Council.
Their roles reflect their status as the first nations to join the Confederacy.
What is the role of the Onondaga in the Grand Council?
The Onondaga have the position of Fire Keepers in the Grand Council.
They play a vital role in maintaining the ceremonial aspects of decision making.
What are the Oneida and Cayuga known as in the Grand Council?
The Oneida and Cayuga are known as the Younger Brothers in the Grand Council.
Their designation reflects their later joining of the Confederacy.
Fill in the blank: The process of Grand Council decision making is laid out in the _______.
Great Law of Peace
This law serves as the foundational document for governance in the Iroquois Confederacy.
Who were responsible for opening the Grand Council?
The Onondaga
They began by thanking the representatives of the other nations for attending and announcing the subject that would be discussed.
How is a speaker chosen for the Grand Council meeting?
From among the Mohawk, Onondaga, or Seneca Nations
The speaker holds this position for one day and can be reappointed or replaced the next day.
Who advises the chief during a Grand Council meeting?
Two faithkeepers and the clan mother
They sit behind the chief to remind him of his responsibility to his people.
What process do the Mohawk and Seneca use to make a decision?
Consensus
This is also applied by Oneida and Cayuga for the same issue.
What happens if Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, and Cayuga come to the same decision?
Onondaga confirm the decision
After confirmation, the decision is announced by the Mohawk.
What occurs if the nations come to a different decision?
The issue is set aside until chiefs get advice from their communities
The Onondaga may refer the issue back to the Mohawk and Seneca, restarting the process.
What is the role of the Onondaga in the decision-making process?
Confirm the decision or refer issues back
They act as a mediating body in the decision-making process among the nations.
Fill in the blank: The Grand Council meeting is conducted by a _______.
[speaker]
The speaker is chosen from the Mohawk, Onondaga, or Seneca Nations.
True or False: The Grand Council meeting can have the same speaker for multiple days.
True
A speaker can be reappointed by the Council the next day.
List the nations involved in the Grand Council decision-making process.
- Mohawk
- Onondaga
- Seneca
- Oneida
- Cayuga
These are known as the original five nations of the Iroquois Confederacy.
What is the purpose of a clan meeting?
To give everyone in the clan a chance to speak
Includes women, men, children, and Elders
What governing body was established for the Iroquois?
The Grand Council
What does the Great Law state about decision-making in the Iroquois Confederacy?
It gives all the Iroquois the right to participate in decision making
In what situation must the Lords of the Confederacy submit matters to the people?
When a specially important matter or a great emergency affects the entire body of the Five Nations
What is the process for the voice of the people to be heard in the Iroquois decision-making?
Clan mother informs clan chief, clan chief carries decision to Council of Chiefs, Council of Chiefs reaches consensus and brings decision to Grand Council
Who has a say in the Iroquois decision-making process?
Everyone, including men, women, children, and Elders
What unique identity does the Great Law acknowledge for each nation?
Each nation will keep their own festivals and laws
What rights do chiefs of the nations have according to the Great Law?
The right to settle the affairs of their nations
Why is considering the rights of minorities important in decision making?
It keeps a society fair
What document protects minority rights in Canada?
The Canadian Charter
Fill in the blank: The Great Law gives the right to _______ in decision making.
[all the Iroquois]
