All the Eastern Woodlands Indians had a very specific and organized method to handle tribal affairs. This organized method would help the American Indians adapt to their environment. The similarities that they share outweigh the differences. P. Nokomis, was born in the bush north of Lake Superior, and is a Ojibwa artist and storyteller. She explaines that, "the common glue that held the Eastern Woodland Indian culture together was the system of governance - the universal authority, obligation and responsibilities undertaken in the areas of leadership, protection, education, hunting, physical welfare, spiritual welfare and sense of community." (ezinearticles) I found that the easiest way look at this area was to split this region into 3 geographic subcategories.
Starting with the most unified group, The Iroquois and surrounding tribes lived in the upper New York area. These groups of Indians started out fighting among themselves and their neighboring tribes. (watertown) They had a reputation of being ruthless. They had nicknames such as "the terrible people," the "frightening people," or the "rattlesnake people." (watertown) A famous legend describes "a Mohawk leader named Hiawatha. He was tired of the endless fighting between the five nations. He wanted things to change. One day, he met a great Iroquois speaker named Dekanawida. Dekanawida convinced him that the way to bring peace was to form a new nation, a single Iroquois Nation, where all five nations would have voice in government, so that things could be solved peacefully." (nativeamericans) Each individual tribe was allowed to keep and continue to follow their own local government laws during peacetime, but in times of war the elected leaders for the League would decide and vote unanimously on a decision. (watertown) The official name of this league was called the Great Iroquois Council and it was made up 50 elected leaders, called sachems, that were appointed by the woman in charge of each family clan. (watertown) A website discussing the League of Nations, said, "because of their attitude they were able to accomplish something spectacular, something hat had never been done before." (nativeamericans) This type of government was very successful not only because they had a written constitution that all people had to honor but the primary purpose was peace. (nativeamericans)
The next category I want to discuss is known as the Delaware Indians. They consisted of three groups and had tribal council with one "captain" representing each of the tribes (The Turtle, The Wolf, and The Turkey) a "head chief" elected from one of the three captains. (aaanativearts)
The last group in the Eastern Woodlands category lived south from both of these groups. I have picked the Cherokee Indians to discuss because of their unique form of government. The traditional Cherokee government was described as, "villages with two governments: a white government which governed when the village was at peace, and a red government which governed during times of war." (nativeamericannetroots) The peacetime chief was called "Beloved Man" and he and his council dealt with both issues that involved the community and any religious or ceremonial concerns. (nativeamericannetroots) The wartime government was lead by the "Great War Chief" and his council, dealing with war, outsiders, trade, diplomacy, and collaboration with other tribes. (nativeamericannetroots) The men an women of each town were allowed to be on the council to help make decisions and they met every night for discussions. (nativeamericannetroots)
Starting with the most unified group, The Iroquois and surrounding tribes lived in the upper New York area. These groups of Indians started out fighting among themselves and their neighboring tribes. (watertown) They had a reputation of being ruthless. They had nicknames such as "the terrible people," the "frightening people," or the "rattlesnake people." (watertown) A famous legend describes "a Mohawk leader named Hiawatha. He was tired of the endless fighting between the five nations. He wanted things to change. One day, he met a great Iroquois speaker named Dekanawida. Dekanawida convinced him that the way to bring peace was to form a new nation, a single Iroquois Nation, where all five nations would have voice in government, so that things could be solved peacefully." (nativeamericans) Each individual tribe was allowed to keep and continue to follow their own local government laws during peacetime, but in times of war the elected leaders for the League would decide and vote unanimously on a decision. (watertown) The official name of this league was called the Great Iroquois Council and it was made up 50 elected leaders, called sachems, that were appointed by the woman in charge of each family clan. (watertown) A website discussing the League of Nations, said, "because of their attitude they were able to accomplish something spectacular, something hat had never been done before." (nativeamericans) This type of government was very successful not only because they had a written constitution that all people had to honor but the primary purpose was peace. (nativeamericans)
The next category I want to discuss is known as the Delaware Indians. They consisted of three groups and had tribal council with one "captain" representing each of the tribes (The Turtle, The Wolf, and The Turkey) a "head chief" elected from one of the three captains. (aaanativearts)
The last group in the Eastern Woodlands category lived south from both of these groups. I have picked the Cherokee Indians to discuss because of their unique form of government. The traditional Cherokee government was described as, "villages with two governments: a white government which governed when the village was at peace, and a red government which governed during times of war." (nativeamericannetroots) The peacetime chief was called "Beloved Man" and he and his council dealt with both issues that involved the community and any religious or ceremonial concerns. (nativeamericannetroots) The wartime government was lead by the "Great War Chief" and his council, dealing with war, outsiders, trade, diplomacy, and collaboration with other tribes. (nativeamericannetroots) The men an women of each town were allowed to be on the council to help make decisions and they met every night for discussions. (nativeamericannetroots)