 Finish notes—open to where we left off.  Writing in notebook:  You are a European Explorer (French, Dutch, or English)  You encounter the Iroquois People  Describing what you see/how they live

 Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse)  Eastern Woodlands region  Present day NY state  Rochester and Finger Lakes

 Founded in 1570’s by Hiawatha the Unifier.  Outlawed war between Iroquois tribes.  Increased cooperation between Iroquois tribes. *Because the Iroquois united, they were the strongest tribe in the Northeast. **Will influence Benjamin Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union during the French & Indian War.

 Cayuga Younger brothers  Oneida  Seneca = Keepers of the western door.  Mohawk = Keepers of the eastern door.  Onondagas = Fire keepers; kept the sacred council fire (near present day Syracuse) Later joined by:  Tuscarora = 6 th tribe; Came north from Carolinas and joined the Confederacy.

 Abundance of trees: Iroquois will use wood as their main building material.  Large number of deer, rabbit, and fresh water fish.  Iroquois will hunt for food and clothing and be heavily involved in the fur trade.  Available fresh water supply and fertile soil.  Iroquois will also farm for food-corn, beans, and squash (The Three Sisters)

 Has many democratic principles.  Made up of 50 Chiefs (sachems) elected by the women of the tribe.  Chiefs represented the Iroquois people.  Chiefs made decisions through voting.  Decisions had to be made by ¾ or 75% vote.  Each chief could speak freely (freedom of speech) when using the “talking stick” *The Iroquois Confederacy will influence the New York State Constitution & the United States Constitution.

 Was designed for defense.  Had an overlapping gate to enter the village.  To see approaching enemies, had a man- made clearing around the village.  Was surrounded by a stockade (fence).  Was near water to put out fires.

 Their main enemies are Algonquin speaking tribes (Huron).  United Confederacy (5 Nations) provided strength in numbers against enemies.  Adopted enemies after battles to make their armies larger.  Invented lacrosse to prepare warriors for battle.

A. French Exploration.  Famous French explorer Samuel de Champlain fired on an Iroquois war party during a fight with the Huron.  Results  Iroquois became enemies with the French.  Iroquois will usually side with the English over the French.

 Iroquois traded beaver furs to Europeans (mainly British & Dutch) for goods like pots, weapons, and metal tools.  Fought war with the Huron to gain the best lands to trap beaver. Results  Iroquois gain guns from fur trade.  Iroquois develop a commercial (trading) friendship with the British.

 Diseases like smallpox and influenza (flu) kill many of the Iroquois Confederacy.  Do not have immunity to these diseases. a. Iroquois were never exposed to European disease. b. Iroquois lived in smaller more sanitary communities than European cities of the time.

 You are a European Explorer (French, Dutch, or English)  You encounter the Iroquois People  Describing what you see/how they live