The+Rise+of+the+Iroquois

= = **
 * THE RISE OF THE IROQUOIS **
 * By: Kyann Rentzelos


 * Back to Main

** **CONTENTS**
 * < **ESSAY ** ||
 * < **RESEARCH SUMMARY ** ||
 * < Climate & Geographic Factors  ||
 * < Events & Leaders  ||
 * < Transportation & Weaponry  ||
 * < Agriculture & Economy  ||
 * < Plagues & Diseases  ||
 * < Art, Music & Literature  ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 51);">BIBILOGRAPHY **<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 51);"> ||

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">**<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 51);">ESSAY **

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before the Iroquois clans were one, they were six separate peoples fighting against each other. The Iroquois Confederacy was formed from the Seneca, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and later the Tuscarora clans. After forming the Great League of Peace, they created probably the most powerful nations in early North America and remained strong for over one hundred years. When the Europeans came, Iroquois were faced with many unforeseen obstacles. The greatest thing we can learn we can learn from these people is that we are strongest when we are at peace, but to never over-estimate our power over other nations.

Before there was the Iroquois Six Nations, there were six nations, feuding amongst each other. Apart, the Seneca, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and the Tuscarora were not strong. While these six clans were not binded in the Peace Treaty, they fought separately, and were therefore a weaker force than if they had fought together. Furthermore, they feuded amongst themselves, making these six nations even more weak than if they had been joint together as one. Had the Six Nations joined together at the start of their time, they would have been stronger from the beginning, and would have had a stronger force against some of the difficulties they faced in their earliest years.

When the Nations signed the Peace Treaty, uniting the five (and later six) clans together, then because probably the most powerful group in North America. In the early 1600’s, the Iroquois Six Nations fought together to crush the Huron and several other tribes close to their land. The Iroquois built a tall, pointed wooden fence around the land which was their, and had watchmen standing on platforms within the barrier. If an enemy was coming, the Iroquois knew and were ready to battle. Between 1700 and 1720, the Iroquois Six Nations’ military forces peaked, and they were the most powerful group of people in America. When the six clans formed one, joint nation, they were more powerful than they could have possibly been, had they stayed separate. This show us that if we make alliances, rather then feud with our neighbouring peoples, we will remain stronger, and likely gain strength.

At first, the Europeans did not seem to pose as big a threat as was later discovered they did. The Europeans came to the Americas and discovered a people who they found, they could trade with. The Europeans wanted fur, and traded metal kettles, guns and tools for the beaver pelts they wanted. At first, this seemed beneficial for the Iroquois, until the Europeans started to trade with other clans as well, including the Huron. When these nations also acquired guns, the situation seemed bad enough. Still, not only did the Europeans bring guns to the Iroquois’ enemies, they also brought diseases which the natives had not previously been exposed to. Later, they pushed the natives onto reserves, and took over their land. In the end, they posed a much bigger threat to the Iroquois (and all natives) that was originally perceived.

In conclusion, if we can take anything from what the Iroquois went through, we should learn that as a large group, we are stronger and are able to overcome more than if we stay separate. Still, we cannot let this feeling of total control fool us. There may be obstacles which we cannot overcome, and we may not be as bullet proof as we think we are.

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(158, 16, 16); font-family: Arial; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">**<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 51);">RESEARCH SUMMARY **
 * <span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 102);">Climate & Geographic Factors **
 * First in forests of (now) state of New York **[6][[image:Iroquois4.JPG width="217" height="329" align="right" caption="Six Nations Cheif"]]**
 * Later moved towards Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario and Erie).
 * Along St. Lawrence river, in (now) Ontario & Quebec.
 * Some tribes went to (now) Wisconsin or Pennsylvania
 * Same four seasons as now in these parts of America


 * <span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 102);">Events & Leaders **
 * ** Beaver Wars 1640-1650 **[1]
 * 1615 fisrt smallpox epedemic - killed many because not yet immune.**[3]**
 * 1000 AD – Iroquois lived in Five Finger Lakes region since at least this time. **[1]**
 * 1142 – Constitution “Gayanashagowa” was formed (Great Law Of Peace) **[3]**
 * 1754-66 – the French and Indian war **[2]**


 * <span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 102);">Transportation & Weaponry **
 * Iroquois moved whenever land was not adequate for farming **[5]**
 * made knives, scrapers, other tools out of flint **[6]**
 * used hammer stones to shape flint and bone or antlers to make sharp edges on knives, arrows, or spears
 * used stones for heads of hammers and war clubs
 * had handles of hickory, maple, or cherry
 * held together with twine and glue made from boiled fish scales and animal parts[[image:iroqouis3.JPG width="320" height="204" align="right" caption="Iroquois War Club"]]
 * hickory wood bows, maple arrows
 * used sinew (animal tendons) to attach arrow and arrow head
 * sometimes used blowdarts


 * <span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 102);">Agriculture & Economy **
 * main crops = corn, beans, squash **[4]**
 * food lasted several years, stored in winter **[5]**
 * when crops unfertile, Iroquois migrate to fertile soil
 * Trading within the 6 nations **[4]**
 * Huron often had excess corn, traded that
 * Trading with Europeans - beaver pelts, now obtaining European goods[[image:Jake%20Thomas%20and%202%20row%20wampum.gif width="336" height="264" align="right" caption="Iroquois Elderly With Wampum Belt"]]
 * 1640 - acquire guns from dutch
 * Traditional horticulture and economy replaced with intensive agriculture


 * <span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 102);">Plague & Diseases **
 * Great Southeastern Smallpox epidemic atlantic’s most lethal germ **[1]**
 * Iroquois had little/no resistance to european disease caused by settlers
 * died from measles, smallpox, influenza, whooping cough, diphtheria


 * <span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 102);">Art, Liturature & Music **
 * wampum (beads made from shell) sewed to belts to record events. **[5]**
 * beautifully decorated pipes **[4]**
 * People lived in buildings called Longhouses**[6]**


 * 1.** "Beaver Wars." Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia. 2009. Wikipedia. Web.28 Apr 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver_Wars.
 * 2.** "French and Indian Wars." Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia. 2009. Wikipedia. Web.28 Apr 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_and_Indian_Wars
 * 3.** Odrowaz, Margaret. "The Iroguois League Timeline." 2005. 28 Apr 2009 <http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/IroquoisTL.html.
 * 4.** Gernet, Alex. "Economic Life." Multicultural Canada. 10 May 2009 <http://www.multiculturalcanada.ca/Encyclopedia/A-Z/a6/3.
 * 5.** "Iroquois." Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia. 2009. Wikipedia. Web.28 Apr 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroquois.
 * 6.** Bial, Raymond. Longhouses. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2004.


 * **<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 51);">BIBILOGRAPHY ** ||
 * < <span style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">Bial, Raymond. Longhouses. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2004. ||
 * < Odrowaz, Margaret. "The Iroguois League Timeline." 2005. 28 Apr 2009 <http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/IroquoisTL.html>. ||
 * < "Beaver Wars." //Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia//. 2009. Wikipedia. Web.28 Apr 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver_Wars>. ||
 * < "French and Indian Wars." //Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia//. 2009. Wikipedia. Web.28 Apr 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_and_Indian_Wars>. ||
 * < "Iroquois." //Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia//. 2009. Wikipedia. Web.28 Apr 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroquois>. ||