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How Did The Iroquois Confederacy Influence The Us Constitution

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The United States Constitution was heavily influenced by the Iroquois Confederacy’s political theory, though Eurocentric history lessons often teach about the French and Greek influence. In 1988, the House Concurrent Resolution 331 passed which recognized the Iroquois Confederacy’s contribution to the U.S. Constitution. Even after H.Con.Res 331 was passed, the Iroquois Confederacy’s influence continues to be disregarded, most people have to wait until specific classes in higher education to learn about the connection. With the whitewashing of history, many Native American influences have been overlooked that directly correlate to the creation of the U.S. Constitution, though the ‘Founding Fathers’ did revise the Iroquois’ political theory to better match the ‘freedom’ of the U.S. Various European philosophers drew influence from the Iroquois Confederacy to establish their theories. A French philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whom the theory of human nature is attributed to, focused much on the importance of simple living (Grinde 234). Rousseau’s theory idolizes the freedom and relationship with nature that American Indians had established. When examining John Locke, a predominant English philosopher, Donald Grinde speaks about Locke’s Second Treatise on Civil Government, that refers to all humans being equal in their rights, this mirrored the Great Law of Peace the Iroquois Confederacy established. Much of Locke’s philosophy alludes to Native and Christian influences.

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