Cameron Miranda
The Great Law of Peace, also known as the Iroquois Constitution, is the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. It is said to have been brought to the nations by the Great Peacemaker, who helped the previously conflicting nations come together in a confederacy. The law was represented by symbols on wampum belts, which were crafted beadwork belts that conveyed messages, agreements, and the history of the Haudenosaunee. The exact date of its creation is unknown, but it is thought to date back to the 12th or 13th century. The Great Law of Peace was not written in English until about 1880 when Seth Newhouse, a Mohawk, transcribed it.
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What You'll Learn
The Great Law of Peace was an oral constitution
The exact date of the events is not known, but it is thought to date back to the late 12th century (c. 1190), with one source claiming the Iroquois Confederacy was founded in 1142. The Great Law of Peace was not written in English until about 1880 when Seth Newhouse, a Mohawk, transcribed it. By this time, the traditional sachems of the league were worried that the wampum belts containing the Great Law's provisions might be lost or stolen, so they sought a version written in English.
The law helped unite the Five Nations into a League of Nations or the Iroquois Confederacy, with each nation maintaining its own leadership but agreeing that common causes would be decided in the Grand Council of Chiefs. The confederacy was composed of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations, with the later inclusion of the Tuscarora in 1722.
The Great Law of Peace served as an early example of democratic principles in practice, emphasizing consensus decision-making, representation, individual rights, and a commitment to peace. It had a profound impact on the development of New York's government and the broader project of American democracy. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson visited the chiefs of the Iroquois Confederacy in 1754 and were amazed at how disciplined and organized their government was. Franklin referenced the Iroquois model when he presented his Plan of Union at the Albany Congress that year.
The influence of the Six Nations' law on the U.S. Constitution is disputed by scholars, but some argue that the democratic ideals of the Great Law of Peace provided significant inspiration to Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and other framers of the U.S. Constitution.
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It was conceived by Dekanawidah, the Great Peacemaker
The Great Law of Peace, also known as the Iroquois Constitution, is an oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. It is said to have been conceived by Dekanawidah, the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha.
The Iroquois Confederacy, founded by the Great Peacemaker in 1142, is the oldest living participatory democracy on Earth. The law was represented by symbols on wampum belts, which functioned as mnemonic devices for storytellers. Hiawatha brought wampum to the Haudenosaunee, receiving the shells from the Creator when he needed something that the people knew was pure and held truth within itself. The shells came from a lake covered with ducks, which cleared a path for him and presented him with the shells. Hiawatha then made the shells into beads.
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, known to the English colonists as the League of Five Nations (later, Six Nations), was already well-established, united in a confederation of nations governed by their Great Law of Peace. The original five member nations ratified this constitution near modern-day Victor, New York, with the sixth nation (the Tuscarora) being added in 1722. The laws were first recorded and transmitted by means of wampum, shell-bead belts that encoded the message in a sequence of pictograms.
The Great Law of Peace served as an early example of democratic principles in practice, emphasizing consensus decision-making, representation, individual rights, and a commitment to peace. It is said to have influenced the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, with scholars arguing that it provided significant inspiration to Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and other framers of the U.S. Constitution.
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His spokesman, Hiawatha, brought wampum to the Haudenosaunee
The Great Law of Peace, also known as the Iroquois Constitution, is the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. The law was conceived by Dekanawidah, known as the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha. Wampum, which played a vital role in Onondaga and Haudenosaunee culture, was used to represent the law. Wampum beads are made from the shell of a clam, with the beads cut from the white and purple parts of the shell. The process of making wampum beads is labour-intensive, requiring the use of stone tools to cut and shape the shells into beads.
Hiawatha, as Dekanawidah's spokesman, brought wampum to the Haudenosaunee as a means of recording and transmitting the Great Law of Peace. The laws were first recorded and transmitted through wampum belts, which featured symbols and pictograms that encoded the message of the law. Each nation or tribe within the Iroquois Confederacy played a delineated role in the conduct of government, and wampum was used to symbolise these roles and titles. The wampum belts served as mnemonic devices, helping storytellers and speakers remember the laws and agreements they represented.
In addition to being a means of recording laws, wampum also held symbolic and ceremonial value for the Haudenosaunee. Wampum strings were presented as formal affirmations of cooperation or friendship between groups, or as invitations to council meetings. During ceremonies, wampum strings were used to convey that the speaker was speaking truthfully, and listeners would pay close attention to the speaker's message. The Onondaga Nation was entrusted with the responsibility of being the caretaker of the wampum belts, underscoring the importance of wampum in Haudenosaunee culture.
The introduction of European metal tools in the mid-17th century revolutionised the production of wampum, with Dutch colonists establishing factories for mass production. While wampum was initially valued for its scarcity, the influx of mass-produced wampum from colonists eventually glutted the market. Despite this, wampum continues to hold cultural significance for the Haudenosaunee, with artists still weaving belts of historical and conceptual nature.
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The law was represented by symbols on wampum belts
The Great Law of Peace, also known as the Gayanashagowa or Kaianere'kó:wa, is the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy, comprising the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee. The law was conceived by Dekanawidah, the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha. It is believed that the law dates back to the late 12th century (c. 1190).
The Great Law of Peace was represented and recorded using wampum belts, which are made from the shells of clams. The beads are cut from the white and purple parts of the shell and woven together to form belts or strings. Wampum belts functioned as mnemonic devices, with symbols and sequences of pictograms that encoded the laws and narratives of the Six Nations. Each nation or tribe within the Iroquois Confederacy played a delineated role in the conduct of the government, and the wampum belts served as a means to invite the nations to council meetings. The belts also symbolised titles within the Haudenosaunee, with each position of a Clan Mother or Chief having its own wampum string.
The Onondaga Nation was entrusted with the responsibility of being the Wampum Keeper of the Haudenosaunee at the founding of the Great Peace. The Onondaga people have long regarded the wampum belts as a vital part of their culture and history. However, in the past, New York anthropologists illegally obtained some of these belts, and it was only after persistent efforts by the chiefs that some of them were returned in 1989.
The laws and narratives of the Great Law of Peace were initially transmitted orally and through the use of wampum belts. It was not until the 19th century that the law was translated into English and other written forms. The written translations vary slightly in wording but convey similar meanings. The text of the Great Law begins with the planting of the Tree of the Great Peace, an eastern white pine tree that symbolises the unity of the Six Nations.
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The Great Law of Peace inspired the US Constitution
The Great Law of Peace, or Gayanashagowa, is a constitution that was established by the Iroquois Confederacy, a union of six Native American nations, over a thousand years ago. It is believed to have been influenced by a visionary leader named Deganawida, or the Great Peacemaker, and his follower Hiawatha. The exact date of its creation is unknown, but it is estimated to have been finalized and ratified between 1450 and 1600 CE. This law served as a framework for governance and maintained peace and unity among the Iroquois Nations for centuries.
The Great Law of Peace established a sophisticated democratic system that predated the United States Constitution by several centuries. It outlined a structure for a unified government with a legislative body, an executive branch, and a judicial system. The law also codified a set of civil and human rights, including equality for women, who played a crucial role in the governance of the confederacy.
The Iroquois Confederacy's influence extended beyond its own nations. When the United States was in its infancy, the founding fathers looked to the Iroquois' form of government for inspiration. Benjamin Franklin is known to have had a particular interest in the Iroquois system and even attended an Iroquois conference in 1744. He published an account of the conference and the Iroquois' form of government in 1751, which may have been read by the authors of the US Constitution.
The Great Law of Peace shares several similarities with the US Constitution. Both documents establish a system of checks and balances, with a separation of powers into distinct branches. The Iroquois Confederacy's influence can be seen in the US Constitution's emphasis on federalism, with a union of states retaining certain sovereign powers. Additionally, the concept of equality and certain inalienable rights, as outlined in the US Constitution's Bill of Rights, echoes the principles enshrined in the Great Law of Peace.
One of the most notable influences is in the design of the US government's seal, which features a Native American figure, often believed to be an Iroquois. The seal depicts the figure holding a peace pipe and an olive branch, symbolizing peace and the power to wage war, respectively. This imagery reflects the Iroquois' concept of peaceful negotiation and their system of maintaining peace among the confederacy.
While the influence of the Great Law of Peace on the US Constitution might not be widely recognized, it stands as a testament to the Iroquois Confederacy's advanced political thought and its lasting impact on democratic ideals. The Great Law of Peace continues to be a source of pride and inspiration for Native American communities and a reminder of the rich political heritage that predates the founding of the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Law of Peace was created in the 12th or 13th century, with some sources claiming the year was 1142.
The Great Law of Peace was created by Dekanawidah, known as the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha.
The law applied to the Haudenosaunee, or the Iroquois Confederacy, which was made up of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora nations.
The law was first translated into English in the 19th century, with one source claiming the year was 1880.
