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Feature 11. Read the passage. The Iroquois Confederacy The…
Feature
11. Read the passage.
The Iroquois Confederacy
The Iroquois Confederacy, also called the Six Nations, was a union of six Native American tribes. These included the nations of the Tuscarora, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. The groups were spread throughout a region that extended across much of modern-day New York. This region included the lands from the Hudson River to Lake Erie, to the south of the Adirondack Mountains, and to the north of the Catskill Mountains.
Many historians believe the Iroquois Confederacy to be one of the most advanced systems of government in history. At a time when many citizens in Europe were ruled by a monarchy, the Iroquois Confederacy held itself to a democratic form of government. This not only brought together different groups, but it also encouraged the practice of peaceful negotiations in solving problems.
The Iroquois Confederacy is thought to have been created sometime before 1492 and originally included five nations. (The sixth nation, Tuscarora, was added in 1712.) During the period in which there were five nations, many of the tribes were at war with each other. According to tribal histories, the Confederacy was the work of a Huron prophet known as Deganawidah, or the Peacemaker. He was helped by his spokesman, Hiawatha. The two men proposed a plan by which disagreements among the five nations could be settled peacefully through laws and ceremonies. The groups met near what is now Syracuse, New York, where a large white pine known as the Great Tree of Peace was planted. This action, along with the passing of what was known as the Great Law, became the basis for the new government.
The symbol of the Iroquois Confederacy was the longhouse, the traditional housing of the Iroquois people. These buildings allowed many families to live together. The buildings measured anywhere from ten to fifteen feet wide and up to 250 feet long and were divided into sections for each family. A door at either end of the building allowed people to go in and out. To keep warm, a fire was built in the center of each section of the house.
In order for this new political form to work, all five nations needed to see themselves as part of a large longhouse, which included all the lands of each group. Because the Mohawk were the most eastern-based tribe, they were appointed protectors of the eastern door of the Confederacy longhouse. The Seneca, who lived to the west, were to take care of the western door. Any visitors coming from either the east or the west were to be greeted by representatives of one of these tribes. Because the Onondaga nation lived in the center of the Iroquois region, they would host all group meetings.
The Council of Chiefs, which included 49 leaders from among the five nations, was the center of the new government. For a decision to be approved, all of the chiefs had to agree. If all of them could not agree, then the groups could “cover the fire.” This meant that each nation could decide for themselves what to do about a problem.
The Great Law was the constitution for the Iroquois Confederation. It was made up of 117 rules that told the nations how to live in peace. The constitution not only explained how the groups were to conduct themselves during war, but it also outlined how ceremonies were to be organized. Power was equally shared among men and women of all the nations. Through the Iroquois Confederacy, the Six Nations gradually emerged as one of the strongest Native American groups.
However, by the end of the American Revolution, the once-great Iroquois Confederacy no longer enjoyed significant power or influence. Disputes among the groups about taking sides in the war as well as other infighting had weakened the Confederacy. As time went on and their lands were gradually taken away by whites, the Iroquois Confederacy lived in the shadow of its former glory.
According to many historians, the Iroquois Confederacy helped influence some early American leaders about their own government. Some of the Founding Fathers knew about the government of the Six Nations. They were so impressed with it that they borrowed many of its ideas, including that of a democracy with political freedom, representation, and checks and balances on the power of the government.
Question
In the article “The Iroquois Confederacy,” what does the phrase “cover the fire” symbolize for each nation?
Responses
freedom
indifference
dependence
fear
12
Question
Which sentence uses a word incorrectly?
Responses
Her blunders were held in high esteem.
The hurricane was a catastrophe; the city was absolutely decimated.,
Derivations can be formed by adding prefixes or suffixes to existing words.
The conflict seemed to have no clear resolution.
113Question
Which sentence uses a word incorrectly?
Responses
The conclusion of the story foreshadowed earlier events.,
The prefix of unanimous is -un. ,
If you’re ever going to reach your goals, you have to stay strong and resolute.,
The committee’s decision to move forward with the plan was unanimous .
114
Question
Which definition best defines the word trilogy?
Responses
a time period of three hours
a tree with three branches
a story with three parts
the study of the number three
15
Question
Which sentence is written in a style for reader interest?
Responses
Kwaz woke to the sound of his mother making breakfast and knew he was going to be late for the baseball tournament.
Kwaz woke with a jolt when his mother knocked on his bedroom door, telling him he was going to be late for the baseball tournament.
Kwaz rolled over and groaned when he saw the time, leaping out of bed, he threw on his baseball uniform and dashed out of the house.
Because his alarm didn’t go off, Kwaz was late for the baseball tournament.
1 16Question
Which sentence uses nonstandard English?
Responses
I love my new bicycle.
You will be late for school if you don’t hurry up.
I hope it doesn’t rain today.
If I was you, I would move on.
17
Question
I asked Sam nicely to gimmie the book he borrowed last week, but he brushed me off.
Which revised sentence uses standard English?
Responses
I asked Sam really super cool like to get me the book he borrowed last week, but he snubbed me.
.
I asked Sam nicely if he could give me the book he borrowed last week, but he refused.
.
I asked Sam if he ever thought he might be able to kindly get that book back to me quick, but he shined me on.
I asked Sam very politely if he could hand over the book he supposedly borrowed, but he blew me off.
I
13Question
Which sentence uses a word incorrectly?
Responses
The conclusion of the story foreshadowed earlier events.,
The prefix of unanimous is -un. ,
If
If you’re ever going to reach your goals, you have to stay strong and resolute.,
The committee’s decision to move forward with the plan was unanimous . ,
1
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