Iroquois Constitution Analysis

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The Iroquois Constitution was a document that was originally created to unite together five tribes who were facing many differences during the 1500’s. These five tribes were very similar and had many cultural aspects in common, yet, they lived in a state of constant warring. This consistent strife made them more liable to attacks and weaker. In response to these problems, a man named Dekanawida came up with a document on behalf of his beliefs and hopes for these local tribes. With it, they eventually established a system of government with the tribes located in the upper New York area. In Dekanawida’s “The Iroquois Constitution”, he argued that they needed to unite for the sake of peace among them all and that it would bring new hope to these …show more content…

Specifically, in the last paragraph, titled “War and Peace,” he discusses how they want to bury the past and begin anew. This paragraph is also brimming with charged language. Using specific words with strong connotations and imagery help to paint the picture clearer and more passionately. Words and phrases like “cavity,” “the depths of the earth,” “deep into underearth,” “weapons of strife,” and “water flowing to the unknown” are full of charged language and emotion/pathos. Dekanawida is attempting to inspire. He is also instilling fear into the people reading, convincing them to join because if they don’t, they are leaving themselves open to attacks and danger. This shows that they will be stronger, happier, and more peaceful together. They are trying to bury their weapons and agony of the past so they can move forward, striving for peace.
Dekanawida’s purpose is to draw up a long lasting document to unite and inspire generations to come and to create a sense of unity and peace among his fellow tribes to give them all a chance for success. This work is significant because it has lived on, evening inspiring the United State’s Constitution. A lot of the ideals shown have been carried on to today, as well as in the past, helping his tribe and others to better …show more content…

There are many similarities between the two documents which demonstrates the modern importance and impact the Iroquois’s document has. Freedoms like speech, religion, women’s rights, a government made for the people, etc. are said to have originated from their document. Even in our country’s seal, you see the eagle holding arrows in his talons representative of the original colonies. The Iroquois Constitution discusses a symbol of a bundle of 5 arrows for the five original tribes of the confederacy. The Iroquois Confederacy also seems very similar to the United Nations. They were both formed with the same ideals in mind and are made up of nations that originally considered themselves just as individuals. As the United States was seeking inspiration for their own document, they looked to the effectiveness and organization of the Iroquois Confederacy. “In 1988, to mark the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, Congress passed a resolution stating that “the confederation of the original Thirteen Colonies into one republic was influenced by the political system developed by the Iroquois Confederacy…” (Close Reader pg. 61). Today, it is recognized as one of the oldest living documents and has continued to show its importance in our everyday lives. Without the inspiration taken from this document by our country’s founding fathers, who knows what kind of state we’d be

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