Six Nations

I chose the web page “The Six Nations:
Oldest Living Participatory Democracy on Earth” because I find the idea of studying the organization and philosophical underpinnings of Native American (both in a historical and contemporary setting) government fascinating. I believe that Native American tribes do not get enough credit when discussing the origins and history of democratic traditions, especially at an elementary and secondary level where the focus tends to be solely on Ancient Greece and Enlightenment thought. I was fascinated to learn that some of America’s founding fathers such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin took inspiration directly from the six nations. Likewise I was not aware that the Iroquois visited the Continental Congress and shared warm relations with the delegates that extended to naming John Hancock “Karanduawn, or the Great Tree”. I also was previously unaware that women owned all property in the Iroquois confederacy, a responsibility they held in addition to selecting tribal leaders. I was also interested in learning how the larger Iroquois Confederacy was over all a largely decentralized government. Learning about the structure, where each individual tribe was largely free to pursue it’s own interests but had to adhere to a very minimal set of central laws reminded me of the American Articles of Confederation, something that I learned drew some inspiration directly from Iroquois Constitution.



Unfortunately this very central piece of American history and political inspiration is not often taught with the same weight as other influences our founders carried with them. I wonder how many people would truly no these facts if they were asked about them directly?


http://www.tolatsga.org/iro.html
https://ratical.org/many_worlds/6Nations/

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