The origin of federalism

Among the things that European settlers learned from the American native nations is one of the most widespread political systems in contemporary states: federalism.

The most direct antecedent of this influence is in the origin of the federalism of the United States that was inspired to a great extent by the Iroquois confederation which  had a model that was similar to other existing ones in the American continent. 

The League of Iroquois was founded at the beginning of the millennium (between the years 1000 and 1450 AD) by Hiawatha and Deganwidah under a constitution called Kaianerekowa or Great Law of Peace. 

Upon the arrival of Europeans to America, the League was one of the strongest and most stable political organizations on the American continent.

According to the information available, the first person to propose a federal model for the English colonies of North America was the Iroqués Canasatego chief speaking in front of the mixed assembly of Iroquois and British in July 1744 (1). The Iroquois chief noted that it was very difficult to deal With all the colonial administrations and suggested to them that they united in a confederation following the Iroqués model.

Benjamin Franklin, who was the official publisher for the colony of Pennsylvania, had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the proceedings and speeches of various Iroquois assemblies and treaty negotiations. He was then appointed an Indian Commissioner by the colonial government he held during the 1750s. There he was able to know in depth the characteristics of Indian diplomacy, as well as the modalities of his policy. From this, Franklin became throughout his life a leader of the indigenous political system proposing its application to the government of the English colonies of America.

There are abundant records of his allegations promoting the implementation of the Iroquois federal system in the colonies. In 1754, he delivered a speech to the Albany Congress calling on the colonies to emulate the League of Iroquois. Just thirty years later, when Benjamin Franklin was responsible for the drafting of the United States Constitution, he succeeded in including the basic federal principles in the Magna Carta of the new state being created.

The Iroquois system consisted of five nations: the Mohawks, the Onondaga, the Seneca, the Oneida and the Cayuga. Each nation was governed by a council of representatives called sachems. The number of sachems varied in each nation. Thus, for example, the Seneca had counts of eight sachems, the Mohawks and Oneidas of nine sachems, the Cayuga of 10 and the Onondaga of 14. (2)

The general government of all nations was in charge of a great council of the League composed of 50 sachems representatives of the confederate nations. Its functions included many functions typical of contemporary federal governments: declaring war, making peace, agreeing treaties, receiving new members, extending protection to weaker nations, taking the necessary steps to promote their prosperity, and extending their domination , etc.

The United States followed the Iroquois model not only broadly but also in many specific respects: Ex. Among the Iroquois the political function of the sachem was separated from the military function and could not be added in the United States, unlike England, these functions remained separated from the beginning. Another US institution that originates in the Iroquois system is "impeachment." In the League of Iroquois leaders could be removed (impeached) by the will of the women of their clan. In the same way, the United States authorities can also be removed, regardless of the role of women in the procedure. Like the Iroquois, the United States admits new members on an equal footing with the older members. Just as the Tuscaroras were admitted as the sixth member of the League, the United States has repeatedly admitted new states on the same terms as the founders of the federation. There are many other examples of the influence of the Iroquois system in the American, which includes ways of addressing the assembly, the denomination of caucus, some aspects of military organization, the unicameral system of Congress (abandoned after a few years of established), and many others (3).

1 Taken from Jack Weatherford's "Indian Givers", 1988, p.135.

2 In 1722 the League of Iroquois admitted a new member: the Tuscaroras who had requested their incorporation since 1714. From that date the League was made up of six members: Seneca, Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Tuscaroras.

3 Well described by Weatherford, 1988.

From: "Amerrique, the Orphans of Paradise ", Danilo Antón, Piriguazú Editions..