1a. Who plants and names the Tree of the Great Peace with Dekanawidah?
2a. To whom is Dekanawidah speaking? Who is Adodarhoh?
3a. How does a candidate lord show his pledge to the council? What does his offering symbolize?
4a. In what ways does this excerpt from the Iroquois Constitution incorporate nature in the rituals it describes?
5a. In your opinion, are the values and moral code described in the Iroquois Constitution appropriate for the members and leaders of a government? Explain, using examples from the text.
1b. What is the purpose of the meeting at which Dekanawidah speaks? Why do you think oratory skills were prized by the Iroquois?
2b. Why do you think Dekanawidah refers to the assembled lords as "cousins"? Are they literally related to one another?
3b. According to the constitution, what qualities should a leader have? What qualities should a leader put aside?
4b. What does this selection reveal about the relationship the Native Americans of the Five Nations had with nature?
5b. Imagine that you and other students have been shipwrecked on an island and have to organize a government of your own. Work with other students to form a constitution establishing the basic laws and political structure of your new country. Which elements of this selection from the Iroquois Constitution would you incorporate into your government? Which types of behavior not included in this excerpt would you regulate by law?
Symbol. In the Iroquois Constitution, what does the tree symbolize? its roots? What does it mean to take shelter under the leaves of this tree? What does the eagle perched at the top of the tree symbolize? Refer to the chart on page 91 of your text.
1. Imagine that you are the leader of a tribe that has been invited to participate in the council of the Five Nations. Write a thank-you letter to Dekanawidah expressing your gratitude to him for including your people in the council. Explain why you think it is important for your tribe to join in the confederacy.
2. The writer of the Iroquois Constitution used the metaphor of a tree to describe the confederacy of the Five Nations. Write your own metaphor to describe our current government. You might compare our government to another form of nature, or you might choose a metaphor from your own surroundings.
3. Imagine that you are asked to write the formal procedure of a meeting of the Great Council. Referring to the Language Arts Survey 6.4, "Step-by-Step Instructions," make step-by-step directions for the council to follow at its meetings.
Researching the Iroquois Constitution.Locate and read a copy of the complete Iroquois Constitution, from the Internet or library. Research one of the elements of the Constitution.
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