SST3771-ABED: 2.1.2 Aboriginal Contributions to Liberalism

An Iroquois Longhouse, Crawford Lake, Ontario. ©Flickr, photo by Perry Quan

Most of what you will learn about liberalism has its roots in European history. When the British and the French colonized Canada, followed by immigrants from other European nations, they brought their own political and economic systems with them.

However, the Aboriginal peoples of North America had their own traditions and ideologies. To what extent were their practices liberal?

The Haudenosaunee, also known as the Iroquois, are considered to be one of the longest continuously existing participatory democracies in the world. According to oral tradition, the confederacy has been in existence since the beginning of time. Archaeological evidence goes back to the 15th century.

The Iroquois also refer to themselves as the Haudenosaunee, which means "People of the Longhouse", implying that the six nations should live together as families in the same "house" under the same rules.

These First Nations people had been at war with each other for centuries until they decided to come together, all agreeing to abide by the Great Law of Peace. The Great Law of Peace, or Great Binding Law, was their oral constitution. It laid out the way to peace and harmony among the nations. Its key principles included:

division of powers among various branches of government
equal participation by citizens, including women
establishment of rights and freedoms, including freedom of speech, religion, and rights of the individual

The various nations of the confederacy came together in a strong and powerful association known as the Six Nations, including the following First Nations:

Kanien'kehaka (Mohawk)
Oneniote'a:ka (Oneida)
Gan'dagwëni:io'geh (Onondaga)
Kaion'keha:ka (Cayuga)
Shotinontowante'a:ka (Seneca)
Tehatiskaro:ros (Tuscarora)

The Haudenosaunee Confederacy flag, Public Domain

This confederacy of nations is represented by this flag, and renowned for its democratic principles. Along with the Tuscarora, these 5 Iroquois nations agree to live under the Great Law of the Peacemaker.

John Trumball's "The Declaration of Independence', Public Domain, from Wikimedia Commons

The Great Law of Peace was an oral constitution with democratic principles. Many historians consider it to have been an inspiration to men such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson who knew the Haudenosaunee and were impressed by the way they ran their nations. These men helped write the constitution of the United States. Consider the following similarities:

	The Great Law of Peace	Constitution of the United States of America
Preamble	"We, the people, to form a union, to establish peace, equity, and order... "	"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves, ... "
Choice of leaders	Elected on merit	Elected on merit
Equality	Established in the oral constitution	Established in the written constitution
Division of Powers	Established in the oral constitution	Established in the written constitution

When the first Europeans arrived in North America, the Haudenosaunee were based in what is now the northeastern U.S. The Confederacy ended with the American Revolution. At that time, many Haudenosaunee moved north to Canada when the land granted to them by the British was taken over by American settlers.

View this Iroquois Confederacy of Nations video that acknowledges the contribution of the Iroquois Confederacy of Nations to the development of the US Constitution.

"The Great Law"- Injunuity series by Vision Maker Media, You-tube

If you want to learn a more in-depth understanding of Haudenosaunee democracy, the following video will explain it in better detail:

"The Iroquois Confederacy"- by Historia Civilis, You-tube

To learn more about the Six Nations Confederacy, see their website Haudenosaunee Confederacy.