ipl-logo

The Symbolism Of The Iroquois Constitution

753 Words4 Pages

The Iroquois Constitution is a political document which the mystic and prophet
Dekanawidah, someone who travelled from village to village to urge their residents to stop fighting and join together, establishes the Iroquois Confederacy. The document was originally, not a document at all. The Iroquois were bound together by the Great Binding Law (or Great Law of Peace), which was an oral recitation passed down from generation to generation. The memories of these speeches were recorded in wampum shells, which allowed the Iroquois Constitution to be written down in the nineteenth century. Through the translation that is provided by Arthur C. Parker, it can be inferred that the Iroquois had very close-knit ties with the flora and fauna that surrounded …show more content…

Beneath the shade of its overarching branches, while sitting on the soft and feathery down of globe thistles, any and all of the affairs that concerned the Five Nations will be handled by the confederacy. The Tree of Peace is also the provider of shelter for people who have originated outside of the Five Nations but have stumbled upon the Tree of Long Leaves, who may be able to join the Iroquois society as long as they agree to obey the laws that have been laid down by the council. In the Iroquois Constitution, the Tree of Long Leaves symbolizes peace, unity, and order. It is where all of the affairs of the Five Nations are taken care of, and it is where anyone and everyone is welcomed if they promise not to upset the gentle balance of the confederacy and cause disorder and mayhem among the …show more content…

The Great White Roots, which expands in the directions of all the world’s four quarters (which are north, east, south, and west) and lead people to the Tree of Long Leaves and the Iroquois Confederacy. Subsequently, they will state whether or not they will obey the council’s wishes before they are accepted into the Iroquois society. The Great White Roots are recognized to be the embodiment peace and strength in the document, but they also embody the idea of unification since they have brought people from different corners of the Iroquois’ known world to peacefully link

Show More
Related

Differences Between The French And Indian War Dbq

413 Words | 2 Pages

In 1742 the chief of Onondaga of the Iroquois Confederacy knew that his land that the people shared would become more valuable than it has ever been. (Doc B)The reason for this was because the “white people” also known as the Americans wanted the land of the chief. The feelings of the Chief result in complaining to the representatives of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia,

Read More

Compare And Contrast Deganawida And The Iroquois

506 Words | 3 Pages

He created the Iroquois Confederacy. This was driven largely for his desire for peace. “Together, Deganawida and Hiawatha convinced the five tribes to make peace and join together in an alliance of friendship, rather than persist with their attempts to destroy each other. ”(Deganawida 460) He was more of a pacifist than anything else and believed in the unity of mankind. “Deganawida’s message to the Iroquois was that all men are brothers; therefore, they should cease their practices of killing, scalping, and cannibalism.

Read More

Articles Of Confederation Thematic Essay

379 Words | 2 Pages

The Articles of Confederation was written when the United States was a fairly new country, and from the people wanting to create a different government from the king of England. Although this document respected individual rights, it was too loose of a document that could drive the country to success. After revising what they had created, the founding father of the us the created the us constitution. It was more strict, but still valued peoples rights.

Read More

The Great Spirit Argumentative Analysis

277 Words | 2 Pages

Driven by the belief that space was bequeathed to them, the Native Americans feel justified in defending their land against the growing encroachment of the white man as the American landscape unfolds. Their motive is the premise that a higher authority has granted them the right to the space, and that the Great Spirit has created the landscape exclusively for them. Fueled by the formation of conflict over land, the Great Ottawa Chief, Pontiac, in his speech at Detroit, seeks to persuade the tribes, including the Ottawa, Huron, and Pottawatomi to agree to resistance. Invoking the words of the Delaware prophet, Neolin, Pontiac recounts the vision which he believes justifies resistance. Neolin urges the tribes to sever all relations to the customs

Read More

Similarities Between Constitution And Iroquois Constitution

542 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout history there have been links between the Iroquois constitution leading to the basis for the American Constitution. A constitution’s role is to help their country and benefit the people so things stay balanced and never lose control. As proof continues to build up, it shows that like the Iroquois the constitution holds several similar qualities on how to handle the economy and people. It has been thought, that the Iroquois have put the lining for the American guidelines. Though there are things that show to be the same, there are subtle differences that slip and show through.

Read More

Historical Influences Of The Constitution Essay

1897 Words | 8 Pages

What are the Historical Influences of United States Constitution? It is known that people all over the world have come to the United States, to create a better life for their families and themselves. The United States is known for having the best form of government for people to be included and have a say in their beliefs. What many people do not know is, what influenced the United States Constitution and the founding fathers in writing.

Read More

Jamestown Colony Essay

415 Words | 2 Pages

Description The Jamestown[1] settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. William Kelso says Jamestown "is where the British Empire began ... this was the first colony in the British Empire."[2 ] Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 4, 1607 (O.S., May 14, 1607 N.S.),[3] and considered permanent after brief abandonment in 1610, it followed several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Jamestown served as the capital of the colony for 83 years, from 1616 until 1699.

Read More

Documents That Influenced The Constitution

712 Words | 3 Pages

Have you ever thought to yourself, where did the Constitution come from? Someone surely had to inspire the people who wrote it? You’re right and I’m going to talk about 3 of some of the most important documents that influenced the Constitution. Starting with the Rights of Citizenship in the Constitution because we got to know how the Constitution affects us and why we care about it.

Read More

Native American History: The Iroquois Confederacy

210 Words | 1 Pages

Iroquois Confederacy was an association of five tribes named Mohawk, Oneida, Onandaga, Cayuga, Seneca. The conference was characterized by a peaceful pact between the tribes. In 1700, the Tuscarora tribe joined to the confederacy making the Six Nations Iroquois. Each tribe was compound by two moieties, and each moiety was compound by one or more exogamous clans. The Iroquois Confederacy had a huge importance in America History because they were the immense native American political group that fought with French and England settlement of the America.

Read More

Cherokee Nation 1830 Analysis

402 Words | 2 Pages

On July 17, 1830, the Cherokee nation published an appeal to all of the American people. United States government paid little thought to the Native Americans’ previous letters of their concerns. It came to the point where they turned to the everyday people to help them. They were desperate. Their withdrawal of their homeland was being caused by Andrew Jackson signing the Indian Removal Act into law on May 28, 1830.

Read More

Ratification Of The Constitution Essay

494 Words | 2 Pages

The new constitution, a document granting the framework for a new democratic government, replacing the Articles of the Confederation. This new document gained approval from some of the citizens, but also raised questions and concerns from others. There was a constant back and forth between the two groups on whether or not the constitution should be ratified. This editorial provides historical background on the issue and expresses my opinion on which side I would’ve chosen.

Read More

Us Constitution Vs Iroquois Constitution Essay

514 Words | 3 Pages

In the United States, if the president is to become ill and can no longer fulfill his duties, then the vice president will step up and take over. With the Iroquois, if a lord is to die, then the council shall adjourn for ten days then console on the tenth. After that the women heirs to the lordship title shall appoint a successor. The main symbols also differ. For the Iroquois, A large bunch of shell strings is considered the main symbols; however, in the United States, the American flag is considered the main symbol.

Read More

The World On The Turtle's Back Related To The Iroquois Creation Story

718 Words | 3 Pages

As stated by the Iroquois, “In the middle of the Sky-World there grew a Great Tree . . . The tree was not supposed to be marked or mutilated by any of the beings who dwelt in the Sky-World” (Iroquois 34). Likewise, the tree in

Read More

Tecumseh's Speech To The Osages

1025 Words | 5 Pages

Take Back Our land: Tecumseh Speech to the Osages “We must be united” was the plea from Tecumseh to the Osage tribe. In 1811, Tecumseh, known as the “Greatest Indian”, gave a speech pleading with the Osage tribe that they should unite together to fight against the white man (Tecumseh, 231). He goes on to tell how they had given the white man everything they needed to recover health when they entered their land but in return the white man had become the enemy. The speech to the Osages by Tecumseh illustrates the dangers of the white men to the Indian tribes, and why the tribes should unite together against the white man.

Read More

The Iroquois Creation Story

1106 Words | 5 Pages

The Iroquois creation story is a renowned Native American myth written by a Tuscarora historian, David Cusick. He is also the author of David Cusick’s Sketches of Ancient History of the Six Nations, which is known to be the first Indian-written history printed in the English language (Radus). The Iroquois creation myth exists in twenty-five other versions. It describes how the world was created from the Native American perspective. It begins with a sky woman who falls down into the dark world.

Read More

More about The Symbolism Of The Iroquois Constitution

Related Topics

Open Document