Anaya Nolan
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Six Nations or the Haudenosaunee, is the oldest living participatory democracy on earth, founded in 1142 by the Great Peacemaker. The Iroquois Confederacy originally consisted of five nations: the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. The sixth nation, the Tuscarora, was added in 1722. The Great Binding Law, also known as the Great Law of Peace, is the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. It was conceived by Dekanawidah, known as the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha. The law was represented by symbols on wampum belts, which functioned as mnemonic devices for storytellers. The Great Binding Law established a system of governance that promoted peace, justice, and strong kinship bonds within the Iroquois Confederacy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | The Great Binding Law, Gayanashagowa, Great Law of Peace, Kaianere’kó:wa |
| Represented by | Symbols on wampum belts |
| Date | 1142 (according to some sources) |
| Founding fathers | Dekanawidah (The Peacemaker), Hiawatha |
| Nations | Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, Tuscarora (added in 1722) |
| Inspired | U.S. Constitution, democratic principles, federal structure, individual liberty, separation of powers |
| Key principles | Peace, justice, physical health, human emotions like grief and empathy, sustainability |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Peacemaker and Hiawatha
The Great Peacemaker, also known as Deganawida or Tekanawí:ta in Mohawk, was by tradition, along with Jigonhsasee and Hiawatha, the founder of the Haudenosaunee, commonly called the Iroquois Confederacy. The Great Peacemaker is said to have been born a Huron and later adopted by the Mohawk.
The Peacemaker travelled to different settlements to spread his message of peace. According to archaeologist Dean Snow, he converted Hiawatha in the territory of the Onondaga. Hiawatha, whose name means 'he who combs', was an Onondaga leader. He believed in the message of peace and wanted the Haudenosaunee people to live in a united way.
The Peacemaker and Hiawatha approached Tadadaho, who resisted their invitation to join them. The Peacemaker promised Tadadaho that if he accepted the message of peace, Onondaga would be the capital of the Grand Council. Tadadaho finally accepted the message of peace.
The Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Onondaga accepted the message of peace. The people gathered together to celebrate. They uprooted a white pine tree, threw their weapons into the hole, replanted the tree on top of the weapons, and named it the Tree of Peace, which symbolises the Great Law of Peace that the Haudenosaunee came to live by.
The Peacemaker taught that a single arrow is weak and easily broken, but a bundle of arrows tied together cannot be broken. This represents the strength of having a confederacy. The Great Binding Law, also known as Gayanashagowa, is the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. The law was represented by symbols on wampum belts, which functioned as mnemonic devices for storytellers.
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The Tree of Peace
The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee ("Six Nations"), is a union of six Native American tribes: the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora peoples. The Great Binding Law, also known as Gayanashagowa, serves as the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. The law was conceived by Dekanawidah, known as the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha. The law was represented by symbols on wampum belts, which functioned as mnemonic devices for storytellers.
An eagle is placed atop the Tree of Long Leaves, serving as a sentinel. The eagle's keen eyesight allows it to spot any approaching danger or evil, and it is tasked with immediately warning the people of the Confederacy of any threats.
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The Tree of Long Leaves
The Iroquois Confederacy, founded by the Great Peacemaker in 1142, is the oldest living participatory democracy on earth. The Great Binding Law, also known as Gayanashagowa, 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 Tree of Long Leaves is a significant symbol in the Great Binding Law.
An eagle is placed at the top of the Tree of Long Leaves. The eagle serves as a sentinel, keeping watch for any approaching danger or evil and warning the people of the Confederacy. This eagle is also a symbol of the United States, adopted from Native American imagery.
The Great Binding Law and the Tree of Long Leaves continue to hold significance for the Iroquois Confederacy. The Iroquois people continue to live under their own constitution and government, with the Mohawk Lords serving as the heads and leaders of the Confederacy. The democratic principles and federal structure of the Iroquois Confederacy are believed to have influenced the framers of the U.S. Constitution, including Benjamin Franklin and James Madison.
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The Great Binding Law's influence on the US Constitution
The Great Binding Law, also known as Gayanashagowa or the Great Law of Peace, is the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. It was conceived by Dekanawidah, known as the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha. The law was represented by symbols on wampum belts, which functioned as mnemonic devices for storytellers.
The influence of the Great Binding Law on the US Constitution is a subject of debate among scholars. Some, like Americana and Native American Studies Professor Donald Grinde, argue that the democratic ideals of the Iroquois Confederation, as outlined in the Great Binding Law, provided significant inspiration to the framers of the US Constitution. Grinde contends that the federal structure of the US Constitution, notions of individual liberty, and the separation of powers were influenced by the Iroquois example.
Grinde's thesis, developed with Bruce Johansen, also identifies Native American symbols and imagery adopted by the nascent United States, including the American bald eagle and a bundle of arrows. However, critics argue that eagles and bundles of arrows are common imagery in European heraldry, which is a more likely influence.
In 1988, the US Congress passed Concurrent Resolution 331, recognizing the influence of the Iroquois Constitution upon the American Constitution and Bill of Rights. John Rutledge of South Carolina, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, read excerpts of various Iroquois Treaties to the drafting committee.
Despite this recognition, some scholars dispute the extent of Iroquois influence on the US Constitution. Haudenosaunee historian Elisabeth J. Tooker points to several differences between the Iroquois and US systems of government, including the process of decision-making, representation, and the topics discussed. Stanford University historian Jack N. Rakove also argues against Iroquois influence, citing a lack of evidence in US constitutional debate records and the presence of European antecedents for democratic institutions.
Journalist Charles C. Mann acknowledges that while the interaction between early colonists and Native Americans influenced the development of colonial society and culture, there are significant differences between the Great Binding Law and the original US Constitution, including the denial of suffrage to women and majority rule instead of consensus.
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The Condolence
The Iroquois Confederacy, founded by the Great Peacemaker in 1142, is the oldest living participatory democracy on earth. The confederacy originally consisted of five separate nations: the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. In the 1700s, the Tuscarora became the sixth nation to join the confederacy.
The Great Binding Law, also known as Gayanashagowa, 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 Great Binding Law was conceived by Dekanawidah, or Deganawida, the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha.
The Great Binding Law includes a section on "The Condolence," which maintains the confederacy through a sequence of ceremonies for grieving over a deceased chief and appointing a new one.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Binding Law, also known as Gayanashagowa, is the oral constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy.
The Iroquois Confederacy, founded by the Great Peacemaker, is dated by some Western scholars to about 500 years ago, and by the Iroquois and many non-Native scholars to 1142, when a total solar eclipse occurred in the region.
The Great Binding Law was conceived by Dekanawidah, known as the Great Peacemaker, and his spokesman Hiawatha. It was represented by symbols on wampum belts, which functioned as mnemonic devices for storytellers.
