I found the web
resources in module one very fascinating but the information that impacted me
the most were those websites about the Six Nations. The Six
Nations or Iroquois Confederacy consists of the Mohawk,
Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca, and the Tuscarora Indian tribes. What is
interesting to note about this group is their Democratic system. In fact they
have North America’s oldest Participatory
Democracy about 800 years. Long before our Founding Fathers demanded
independence from Great Britain, the Six Nations was already enjoying the
democracy we were so eager to fight for.
In 1776 the Six Nations joined the Continental
Congress and delivered a speech stressing the importance that the relationship
between the new nation and the Six Nations "continue as long as the sun shall shine." Indeed the
Founding Fathers took inspiration, from Six Nations, not only in the
Declaration of Independence but more so in drafting the Constitution. Senate Resolution
331 confirms and shows governmental acknowledgement of the importance Six
Nations contribution. The resolution also acknowledges the interactions and
connection between our Founding Fathers (most notable Washington and Franklin)
and the Six Nations.
In personal reflection, this is
my last year at ESC in the historical studies program with a concentration in
American History. I have had studied in depth colonial government, the
Constitution, and the ideologies of our Founding Fathers and yet this is the
first time I have heard of Six Nations and their contribution. It is regretful that
this part of history is not discussed across academic fields. Perhaps I have a
concept for my scholarly project.
Online
resources:
<http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/6Nations/>
<http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/05/18/american-history-myths-debunked-no-native-influence-founding-fathers-113702>
<http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/hconres331.pdf>
Maybe if this part of history was discussed earlier in our education, we would have a better understanding of the Native American struggles and the real story of how the European settlers treated the native people. We teach our young learns that everything was fine and friendly between the two groups and how Columbus discovered "America".
ReplyDeleteI have always been fascinated with the six nations, as they settled in New York area and there is a lot of local history with them.