Social Studies 6: Democracy in the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy

Learn about the six nations who joined the Iroquois Confederacy in this article from the Encyclopedia Britannica.

The Hiawatha wampum belt tells the story of the Haudenosaunee’s legendary founding and wampum’s power to heal.

This Heritage Minute tells the Iroquois story of Peacemaker. There is also a text version of the story.

Long before Europeans arrived in North America, five nations formed a confederacy guided by a Constitution called the Great Law of Peace.

Learn how Hiawatha and the Peacemaker convinced the Seneca and Onondaga to join the Great Law of Peace.

An overview of the Gayogohó:no' (Cayuga) who are members of the Confederacy.

This article that provides an overview of the Kanyen'kehà:ka (Mohawk) culture.

An overview article of the Onyota’a:ka (Oneida) people who are one nation of the Confederacy.

A good overview article about the Onöndowa’ga (Seneca).

An overview article about the Onöñda’gega (Onondaga) who are one nation of the Confederacy.

In 1722, the Tuscarora joined the Confederacy. They were the last nation to join. Learn more in this overview article about them.

The history and mythology of Clan Mothers of the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) and continued female leadership in the Confederacy.

A PBS article about how the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Confederacy influenced the development of democracy in the United States.

Mary Laronde, knowledge keeper from Temagami First Nation, talks about Governance.

Imagine that you have just been hired to create a museum about the Iroquois Confederacy. As museum curators, you and your group will be responsible to complete several different tasks. The tasks will then be displayed in your museum for your classmates to see.

Seneca faithkeeper Pete Jemison speaks on how the longhouse was constructed and what it means to the Haudenosaunee people.

Learn about the homes that the Iroquois Nation used in the past.

On this site, you will find images and descriptions of buildings and materials of a Mohawk Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) village.

There are many topics to explore on this site about the Iroquois. Use the menu to choose a topic; you will find many images and videos within each page.

A teaching resource from Minecraft. Students will be part of an indigenous clan living prior to the 1700s. Their clan is tasked with building a traditional house.

Learn how wampum was made and how Indigenous peoples and Europeans used wampum in North America.

Read and discuss the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address with your students. This prayer of thankfulness is said each morning and teaches us that peace requires gratitude. We are to be thankful for the living world.

This is the Haudenosaunee creation story of Sky Woman, who fell from the unseen world and landed on Turtle Island.

This guide details the history and culture of the Haudenosaunee people (aka Iroquois).

Resources and lessons to explore models of democracy. You can bypass the sign-in by clicking the image instead of a link.

A great guide for incorporating indigenous perspectives throughout the social studies curriculum.