 With the close of the Revolutionary War, anarchy technically ruled America. A central government did not exist, but lawlessness and riots did not infuse 13 newly United States. The former colonies were always ruled by governors and this continued to be so. A newly formed Congress, however, was gravely concerned. Heated debates flew in daily sessions on many ideas over what kind of government would rule an independent nation. One idea was to have the states be self-governing. An elected governor would preside over affairs, but not be directly responsible for them. State councils would be directly involved in the daily affairs of self-government. Another idea persuaded Congress to send out a couple of ambassadors overseas to Scotland. The newly disposed Prince Charles would be offered an American crown. The Prince strongly refused twice. Defeated, the ambassadors returned to American shores and offered the crown to George Washington. He too refused.
By now, members of the Iroquois Federation in upper state New York felt they had a Native American voice in Congress. They sent representatives to Washington DC to advise forming a Federation modeled roughly after their own. The states could further unite under a Constitution and form a Federation based on a common ancestry and a common language since the American people had immigrated from the same homeland. The Iroquois had formed their federation under a common race of Native Americans and a shared language. They had an honored constitution, a kind of executive arbitrating branch of individuals, a legislative branch and a court branch. The legislative branch was made up of sechems, elected representatives from each of the six tribes that made up the Federation. All actions within the Federation had to be approved by the sechems. The action was passed only if a majority vote came from the whole Federation body. The Iroquois Federation is credited with inventing the first democracy in America. The Federation also had a court branch set up in an isolated village to conduct only court business.
Benjamin Franklin voiced his opinion that America's central government ought to be roughly modeled after the Federation. Congress continued their heated discussions, but eventually agreed upon drafting a Constitution that would form a Federal Republic based upon a Democracy. In time, 3 government branches would form; The Executive Branch, The Legislative, and the Supreme Court branches. The Legislative branch would have as they already did, elected representatives from each of the then 13 states. The legislators would pass laws based only on a majority vote, (or later 2/3rds in the case of a Constitutional ammendment.) Like African American slaves laying the foundations that built the White House, Native Americans helped shape our central government.
To learn more visit: www.sidis/net/TSChap4:htm.marshep.com/nonviolence/Hiawatha.htmd
www.publius.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/28/2/99/pdf
www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/Iroquois-Confederacy
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