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Current Sign Text
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THE IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY
The northeast shore of Onondaga Lake has traditionally
been recognized as the site of the founding of the Iroquois
Confederacy in the late 16th century. Hiawatha, revered
by the Iroquois as "the Peacemaker," was responsible for
bringing together the Five Nations in a political and military
league.
The Confederation allowed the Iroquois to develop the
most sophisticated political system in North America by the
time European colonization began. The military power of
the Iroquois expanded as well. At its peak in the late 17th
century, the Confederacy was able to assert itself over native
peoples from New England to the Mississippi and from the
St. Lawrence Valley to Virginia. The Iroquois remained
a significant power in North America until their defeat in
the American Revolution. The strength of the Confederacy
forged by Hiawatha is still evident. Despite military defeat
and the loss of their lands, the Iroquois nations continue to
hold council in Onondaga County as they have for nearly
400 years.
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Suggested New Text
Composed with the help
of Onondagas and our
committee consultants.
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THE HAUDENOSAUNEE (IROQUOIS) CONFEDERACY
The northeast shore of Onondaga Lake is the birthplace of
the United States' form of government. The Peacemaker and
Aionwatha, also known as Hiawatha, with the assistance
of a great woman leader Jigonhsasee, brought together the
warring nations of Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and
Onondaga nations in peace to form the Haudenosaunee
("People of the Long House") Confederacy, as an alliance
of sovereign native nations. They accepted the Tuscarora
nation between 1712 and1722 and became the Six Nations.
The confederacy acknowledged the independent sovereignty
of each nation yet allowed for collaborative decisions among
all the nations. This democratic system of government was
developed centuries before the Europeans arrived.
Also referred to as the Iroquois Confederacy or as Six
Nations, the Haudenosaunee were allied with native peoples
from New England to the Mississippi and from the St.
Lawrence Valley to Virginia. They were a significant
political and economic alliance in North America,
negotiating treaties with other nations, managing extensive
trade routes, and impacting relationships between the Dutch,
French and English colonists and other indigenous peoples.
Their power was formidable. This form of representative
government served as a model for the structure of the
United States. The strength of the alliance formed by the
Peacemaker remains strong. The Haudenosaunee continue
today with one of the oldest forms of representative
government in the world, still meeting in a Grand Council at
the Onondaga Nation, 10 miles south of here.
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Problematic issues
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- Naming people (Iroquois) rather than using their own name
for themselves is a form of taking ownership over, negating
or making them less human in some way.
- While the exact date of the Confederacy's founding is
unknown, is was long before the "late 16th century".
- Hiawatha was not the Peacemaker. He and Jigonhsasee,
who is omitted, helped the Peacemaker.
- It was not a "political and military league" but a peaceful
alliance.
- The Haudenosaunee are described in militaristic
terms rather than economic and collaborative. They did
not "assert" themselves over others but rather allied with
other natives like countries do today.
- The Confederacy remained neutral in the American
Revolution. A number of individuals/groups chose to
participate on both sides.
- The citizens of the Confederacy were driven west in a
Clinton/Sullivan's "scorched earth" campaign. Since they
were not at war with the colonies, they were not defeated in
the Revolution.
- Council has been held at Onondaga for centuries
not "nearly 400 years".
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