The Iroquois Constitution Study Guide

The Iroquois Constitution Study Guide

DIRECTIONS: Write your response to the questions in this section on YOUR OWN PAPER.

1. In the Iroquois Constitution, how do the roots of the Tree of the Great Peace symbolize the Iroquois wish that peace be spread through the Confederacy?

2. What values does the author of the Iroquois Constitution expect a member of the council to have in order to be able to sit under the Tree of the Great Peace?

3. What does the eagle that sits at the top of the Tree of the Long Leaves symbolize in the Iroquois Constitution?

4. According to the Iroquois Constitution, how do the members of the Five Nations show their close connection to the Earth and universe when they meet?

5. The excerpt from the Iroquois Constitution shows a strong connection between items found in nature and what they symbolize. Wampum has been used by Native Americans for trading, but in this context, what else does it symbolize?

6. In the Iroquois Constitution, how do the Onondaga lords show their respect for one another before they begin a council?

7. According to the Iroquois Constitution, what must the lords of the Five Nations' Confederacy do to earn the respect of the people?

8. Whose welfare should take precedence in the deliberations of the Iroquois confederacy, according to the Iroquois Constitution?

9. In the Iroquois Constitution, the confederate lords are urged to do their work with calm deliberation. What other words or phrases in the last paragraph provide a context for the meaning of the word deliberation?

10. In the Iroquois Constitution, what does the thick skin of a lord symbolize?

11. Write a brief essay to identify the major philosophy and beliefs of the author of the Iroquois Constitution. Consider the following: (1) How did the Iroquois illustrate strength? (2) What values did the Iroquois think were important in a leader? (3) For whose good did the Iroquois believe a leader should work?

12. At the end of the Iroquois Constitution, the author says the lords should “Cast not over your shoulder behind you the warnings of the nephews and nieces should they chide you for any error or wrong you may do. . . .” Write a brief essay to explain what the author means by this statement.

13. Thinking About the Essential Question: What is the relationship between place and literature? Write a brief essay about how the Iroquois Constitution uses elements from the natural world to symbolize the workings of a good government.

14. Write a brief essay to compare each of these elements of the American government to elements in the Iroquois Constitution: federal government; state governments; state representatives; oaths of office; and the prayer before the opening of each congressional session.