The Iroquois Confederacy

1
The Iroquois Confederacy
2
The Union

• Confederacy
• A group of people who join together to help each
  other.
• Before the Iroquois confederacy the Iroquois
  groups constantly fought among themselves and
  with other Eastern Woodland peoples.
• Five Iroquois groups joined together to create a
  union and make peace

3
The Five Iroquois Groups

• Seneca
• Cayuga
• Onondaga
• Oneida
• Mohawk

4
The Great Peace

• The Iroquois confederacy created rules that would
  allow people to live together in peace
• The confederacy protected the Iroquois from other
  groups that might attack them
• Their union also protected the rights of each
  Iroquois
• Each Iroquois had the right to speak freely, to
  have enough food and clothing, and give their
  views at village meetings
• Together they became strong and this was a time
  of great peace

5
Choosing Leaders

• Iroquois women had a great deal of power
• They were the leaders of clans
• Clan - A group of families who share the same
  ancestor
• The head woman of each clan was called the clan
  mother
• Each Iroquois group had several clans each clan
  had an animal name such as wolf, hawk, and bear

6
Councils

• Each village governed itself by a council.
• A council is a group of people who meet to talk
  about and solve problems.
• Men from each clan made decisions at village
  councils.
• No important decisions could be made unless the
  clan mothers said it was okay.

7
The Grand Council

• Leaders also came together to discuss matters
  that were important to all of them, such as
  peace, war, or trade.
• This large meeting of 50 leaders was called the
  Grand Council.
• The members of the Grand Council were called
  sachems.
• At these meetings, the sachems would use a wampum
  when it was there turn to speak.

8
The Confederacy Today

• Today more than 60,000 Iroquois live in the
  Northeastern United States most of them live in
  New York.
• Each year the Grand Council meets in Onondaga to
  vote on important decisions.
• Most Iroquois live in houses like the ones we
  live in.
• Longhouses are used, but only for ceremonies and
  meetings.

9
Vocabulary Say It

• heritage clan mother
• longhouse council
• ancestor sachem
• confederacy wampum
• Iroquois Confederacy
• clan

10
heritage

• The history, beliefs, and customs that a group
  of people share.

11
longhouse

• A wooden building that housed many families
• Very long and wide up to 20 families

12
ancestors

• The people in your family that lived before you.

13
confederacy

• A group of people who join together to help each
  other.

14
Iroquois Confederacy

• Five Iroquois groups that joined together.
• What were the names of the five groups?
• Seneca
• Cayuga
• Onondaga
• Oneida
• Mohawk

15
clan

• A group of families who share the same ancestor.

16
clan mother

• The head of each clan

17
council

• A group of people who meet to talk about and
  solve problems.

18
wampum

• A string or belt of small beads

19
Practice!

• heritage clan mother
• longhouse council
• ancestor sachem
• confederacy wampum
• clan
• Iroquois Confederacy

20
Match Up

• clan mother A string or belt of small
  beads
• longhouse The head of each clan
• wampum A wooden building that housed many
  families

21

• clan A group of people who meet to talk
  about and solve problems
• confederacy A group of people who join
  together to help each other
• council A group of families who share the
  same ancestor

22

• Iroquois Confederacy The people in your
• family that lived
• before you
• ancestors The five Iroquois groups
  that joined together
• heritage The history, beliefs,
  and customs that a group of
  people share