Iroquois Nation Quotes
A certain number of shell (wampum) strings each two spans in length shall be given to each of the female families in which the Lordship titles are vested. The right of bestowing the title shall be hereditary in the family of the females legally possessing the bunch of shell strings and the strings shall be the token that the females of the family have the proprietary right to the Lordship title for all time to come, subject to certain restrictions hereinafter mentioned.
This was the first written constitution in the Americas. This clause’s concept is perhaps the most fascinating constitutional provisions regarding the political role of women in all of history. Essentially, the Iroquois had reserved the right to elect the Lords—representatives of their legislature—to the original founding families of the tribes. Women could not be elected as Lords. However, it was only the women who could vote for the Lords. This is perhaps the only example in history where not only could women vote for the rulers of a society, but only the women could vote. The next clause in the constitution provides that if a Lord resigns or is derelict in duties, the women of the tribe should immediately select a replacement.
Iroquois Indians, Constitution, ~1500
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
This was the first written constitution in the Americas.
This was the first written constitution in the Americas.
This was the first written constitution in the Americas.
This was the first written constitution in the Americas. This clause created the first plebiscite in America.
This was the first written constitution in the Americas. While many Americans think that the recall of a leader is a California invention, the Iroquois had this recall process in place 500 years ago. While only women
Compared to the laws of most other cultures of the world, this clause implemented the diversity concept, There were 14 clans. In a sense it forced intermarriage rather than support tribal style intra-marriage as most cultures do today, limiting marriage prohibitions only to close blood relatives When whites first came to America, the Iroquois, were the most sophisticated Native Americans. They were actually a confederation of 5 different tribes each of which was composed 14 clans. Although fierce warriors, they had agreed not to fight each other and to assist if any were attacked, not unlike NATO. They developed a strong agricultural base, to go with the fishing and hunting, and their confederation merchants were very aggressive and sophisticated traders taking them far from their upstate New York “capitol.” Their governmental structure was quite sophisticated with an elaborate, formal, system of checks and balances, multi-cameral legislatures that recognized numbers of citizens, power and wealth, and even cultural traditions. They were literate, capitalistic and globalist in that they wanted to trade with all. They had written laws, and women had a role that was unique in world history in that only women owned property in a matrilineal society. Further, it was only the Clan Mothers who voted for the 50 Sachems (~Senators)—but their selections had to be accepted by the people they represented. Ironically the descendants of the Iroquois who remained in New York became a very successful Native American group. In the 2000 census, the average Indian in New York State earned the same income as the average White with no Indian gambling money at all.
The Speaker of each house was a very powerful position. However the term of office was a single day, with new speakers being elected for each day of the debate. With the exception of a particularly unpopular legislator, all shared in the speakership at one time or another. When whites first came to America, the Iroquois, were the most sophisticated Native Americans. They were actually a confederation of 5 different tribes each of which was composed if many clans. Although fierce warriors, they had agreed not to fight each other and to assist if any were attacked. They developed a strong agricultural base, to go with the fishing and hunting, and their confederation were very aggressive and sophisticated traders taking them far from their upstate New York “capitol.” Their governmental structure was quite sophisticated with an elaborate, formal, system of checks and balances, multi-cameral legislatures that recognized numbers of citizens, power and wealth, and even cultural traditions. They were literate, capitalistic and globalistic in that they wanted to trade with all. They had written laws, and women had a role that was unique in world history in that only women owned property in a matrilineal society. Further, it was only the Clan Mothers who voted for the 50 Sachems (~Senators)—but their selections had to be accepted by the people they represented. Ironically the descendants of the Iroquois who remained in New York became a very successful Native American group. In the 2000 census, the average Indian in New York State earned the same income as the average White with no Indian gambling money.
Note the use of the phrase “against the government.” One of the unique aspects of the American Constitution and The Bill of Rights is that the government is considered a potential and even probable infringer on the liberties of the people. It is almost as though the government was the potential enemy. Modern libertarians state this very explicitly and it is ever present in the views of both the right and left wings of American politics. Most centrists recoil at the thought that some citizens see the government as the enemy, but even in America there have been times where the government has infringed on the rights of citizens only to have the courts or future administrations and Congresses correct the error.
When whites first came to America, the Iroquois, were the most sophisticated and powerful Native Americans. They were actually a confederation of 5 different tribes each of which was composed if many clans. Although fierce warriors, they had agreed not to fight each other and to assist if any were attacked. They developed a strong agricultural base, to go with the fishing and hunting, and their confederation were very aggressive and sophisticated traders taking them far from their upstate New York “capitol.” Their governmental structure was quite sophisticated with an elaborate, formal, system of checks and balances, multi-cameral legislatures that recognized numbers of citizens, power and wealth, and even cultural traditions. They were literate, capitalistic and globalistic in that they wanted to trade with all. They had written laws, and women had a role that was almost unique in world history in that only women owned property in a matrilineal society. Further, it was only the Clan Mothers who voted for the 50 Sachems (Senators)—but their selections had to be accepted by the people they represented. Ironically the descendants of the Iroquois who remained in New York became a very successful Native American group. In the 2000 census, the average Indian in New York State earned the same income as the average White with no Indian gambling money. In the old Constitution, the Third Legislative House had a very interesting role. The Onondaga (Fire Keepers) played a particular role in the keeping of the tradition. Their Lords (Sachems—Senators) performed a role that is a combination of an Executive, a Supreme Court, and an Established Church. In effect they had a veto and were supposed to examine the legislation passed by the other two houses with regard to tradition and constituency with the laws and the Constitution. There was a veto override process also in this very sophisticated constitution. See {611628}.
Describing one of the anticipated benefits of the Allotment Act of 1881
A Written form of Constitution of the first democracy of the New World.
This was a written form of Constitution of the first democracy of the New World. It was written before the whites came to the land that would become the United States.
The Magna Carta is not generally known as a document establishing women's rights, but there was one key provision. Sealed under duress and later repudiated by the King with Papal assistance
Defending the government's program of forced resettlement of Japanese-Americans in World War II:
Compare to the language of Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson and his colleagues were familiar with this document.
When whites first came to America, the Iroquois, were the most sophisticated Native Americans. They were actually a confederation of 5 different tribes each of which was composed if many clans. Although fierce warriors, they had agreed not to fight each other and to assist if any were attacked. They developed a strong agricultural base, to go with the fishing and hunting, and their confederation were very aggressive and sophisticated traders taking them far from their upstate New York “capitol.” Their governmental structure was quite sophisticated with an elaborate, formal, system of checks and balances, multi-cameral legislatures that recognized numbers of citizens, power and wealth, and even cultural traditions. They were literate, capitalistic and globalistic in that they wanted to trade with all. They had written laws, and women had a role that was unique in world history in that only women owned property in a matrilineal society. Further, it was only the Clan Mothers who voted for the 50 Sachems (~Senators)—but their selections had to be accepted by the people they represented. Ironically the descendants of the Iroquois who remained in New York became a very successful Native American group. In the 2000 census, the average Indian in New York State earned the same income as the average White with no Indian gambling money.
The Iroquois (/ˈɪrəkwɔɪ/ or /ˈɪrəkwɑː/) or Haudenosaunee (/ˈhoʊdənoʊˈʃoʊni/; "People of the Longhouse") are an indigenous confederacy in northeast North America. They were known during the colonial years to the French as the Iroquois League, later as the Iroquois Confederacy and to the English as the Five Nations, comprising the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca. After 1722, they accepted the Tuscarora people from the southeast into their confederacy, as they were also Iroquoian-speaking, and consequently became known as the Six Nations.
