Document 1

The Iroquois Homeland

(1) What types of people made up the five Nation and later six Nation League of the Iroquois?

(2) Identify the State where the Iroquois lived. (3) Describe the region and geographical features of the Iroquois homeland.

The Iroquois were groups of separate Native American peoples that settled in what later became Upstate New York. The Iroquois mainly took root in the Mohawk Valley and the Finger Lakes Region. Each group contained several tribes or nations who are shown on the maps to the left and below.

Document 2a

Iroquois Village

The Iroquois call themselves Haudenosaunee meaning "people of the longhouse."

(1) After studying the image above, determine whether the Iroquois were a nomadic culture

or a permanently settled one?

Give two (2) pieces of evidence to support your answer.

Document 2b

The Longhouse

The Iroquois lived in extended families consisting of grandparents, parents, children, aunts, uncles, and cousins. This was known as a clan. Several families make up a clan. Each longhouse contained 50 to 200 members. The head of the clan was the oldest, most respected woman in the longhouse. (1) How many families appear to live in this longhouse? What evidence is there? (2) Carefully examine the drawing. Compare and Contrast the way the Iroquois built their

houses to the way yours is constructed. Any similarities or differences?

Document 2c

Life Inside the Longhouse

Fires were kept burning along the center of the longhouse – one fire per family. A long bench along the wall served as a sleeping platform at night. During the day, people sat at the bench doing various tasks and eating their meals. Fish, corn, meat, and strips of pumpkin – hung from the ceiling. (1) Describe some activities performed by some of the Iroquois in the Drawing. (2) Examine the drawing above. Compare and Contrast the way the Iroquois lived to the way

your family lives today.

Document 3

The Iroquois Confederacy

The Iroquois Grand Council

The Iroquois Confederacy is an alliance of originally five, and later six nations of Native American people who lived in what became upper New York State.

It is the assembly of the fifty chiefs, or Sachems, of the Confederacy that represent the clans of all of the member nations. In the past, the Grand Council met yearly to resolve disputes between the member nations and plan mutual strategies to protect the member nations from attacks as well as maintain the welfare of the people. Today, the Grand Council still meets regularly at Onondaga, NY - which is considered the capital of the Confederacy. (1) What name do we call the leaders or “chiefs” of the Iroquois Grand Council? (2) Explain the purpose of the Grand Council. What is their role? (3) What would you compare the Iroquois Confederacy to, in America today? Explain why?

Document 4

The Symbol of Unity

(1) What do the different symbols on the flag represent? (2) Look at the flag above. What do you think was the purpose for creating this flag? (why didn’t they just have more than one flag?) (3) Explain how this flag is proof that an advanced, sophisticated culture existed in North

America before the arrival of European settlers.

The Iroquois Flag

The flag of the Iroquois Confederacy was first used as early as the beginning of the 1500s AD. (Consisted of white symbols on a purple background)