THE IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY

Subject: Social Grade 6

Unit/Topic: THE IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY
Date and Duration: March 13 th to April 13th

UNIT RATIONALE
This unit focuses on the Iroquois Confederacy and its focus on consensus
decision-making. Prior to this unit, students will have completed the
Athenian Democracy unit in which they will have developed an
understanding of direct democracy. Students will have also studied local
politics and decision-making, providing them with a glimpse into Canadas
present decision-making process. The unit culminates with a project which
asks the students to tie all of their learning thus far together through
designing their own utopian democracy. Students will be expected to
incorporate elements from all of the previous units and justify their
responses.
1. Unit Overview Critical Inquiry Question

To what extent is the Iroquois Confederacy a good example of

democracy?
OVERVIEW
The unit begins with a review of Athenian democracy
and an explanation to students that at the end they will
be designing their own ideal democracy later in the
unit. Evaluations include quizzes, venn diagrams and a
culminating project that ties all of the already discussed
forms of democracy together.
2. Learning Outcomes for Unit
6.2.4.1- How was the Iroquois confederacy structured?
6.2.4.2- What was the role and status of women within the Iroquois confederacy?
6.2.4.3- What are the advantages and disadvantages of consensus as a decision-making
model for government?
6.2.4.5- How did the six nations use the consensus building process?
6.2.4.6- How did the Wampum Belt address collective identity?
6.2.4.7- How did the social structure of the Iroquois confederacy impact its political
structure?
6.2.4.8- To what extent did the decision-making process within the Iroquois Confederacy
reflect the democratic ideals of equity and fairness?
 3. Focusing for Individual Lessons
Lesson One: Introduction to Iroquois
Lesson Two: Iroquois Identity
Lesson Three: Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy
Lesson Four: Iroquois Clans
Lesson Five: Clan Mothers in Iroquois Society
Lesson Six: The Role of Men in Iroquois Society
Lesson Seven: The Grand Council
Lesson Eight: Collective Identity: What is it?
Lesson Nine: The Wampum Belt and Collective Identity
Lesson Ten: Concept Lesson: What is Consensus?
Lesson Eleven: Why did the Iroquois Choose Consensus?
Lesson Twelve: Picture Analysis of Iroquois Decision Making
Lesson Thirteen: Vote Modelling of Iroquois Decision Making
Lesson Fourteen: Topic Test
Lesson Fifteen: Term Project
Lesson Sixteen: Term Project
Lesson Seventeen: Term Project

NOTE: One Lesson might take multiple classes.

4. Key Terms and Concepts for the Unit
Haudenosaunee- the name that the people of the Six Nations call themselves.
Clan- A large group of families who are related to one another.
Collective Identity- A shared belief system that often includes language, culture,
values and attitudes.
Wampum- Strings or belts made up of white and purple beads that were cut from
certain kinds of shells.
War Chiefs- Chiefs selected to sit on the Grand Council who in wartime gathered
warriors for fighting.
Pine Tree Chiefs- showed special abilities and an interest in public affairs; were
selected to join the Grand Council by its chiefs.
The Grand Council- A collection of 50 chiefs who represented the nations of the
Confederacy. Different numbers of chiefs were appointed per nation as a result of
different population sizes.
Consensus- All members are in agreement

Learning Assessments
 Utopi
an Pictu
Reflec Venn
Rippl Demo Deb re
Title tions Diagr
Topic es In cracy ates Anal
Quiz am
Test a Projec ysis
Pond t
Outcom
es Type
(Formative/
Summative SUM SUMM SUMM SUM SUMM FOR FOR SUM
)
M. . . M. . M. M. M.

Weigh
ting

6.2.4.1- How was the

Iroquois confederacy




structured?

6.2.4.2- What was the

role and status of

women within the





Iroquois
confederacy?

6.2.4.3- What are the

advantages and

disadvantages of
consensus as a




decision-making
model for
government?

6.2.4.4- How did the

six nations use the
consensus building
process?
6.2.4.5- How did the
Wampum Belt
address collective
identity?

6.2.4.6- How did the

social structure of the

Iroquois confederacy


impact its political
structure?

6.2.4.7- To what
extent did the
decision-making
process within the
Iroquois Confederacy
reflect the democratic
ideals of equity and
fairness?
 Lesson Title Date Description
and Outcomes
During this Lesson we will
introduce the Iroquois
Confederacy.
L. 1
1) Begin the lesson with a
review discussion of the
day before. What is the
Iroquois Confederacy? Who
L. 3: L. 2-
The The
1) Reflect on yesterdays
Lesson on clans.
2) Read Page 78 as a class.
1) This lesson will be
conducted with nations.
L. 4:
2) We will read the tree of
1) Read The Importance
of the Clan Mothers on
page 79 of the text.
Clan
L. 5:
1) Review what we have
learned so far. Who were
the leaders of the families?
Venn
L. 6:
What role did these people
1) Discuss Iroquois identity
by looking at the diagram
on page 79.
L. 7:
1) Reflect on the role of
women in Iroquois society.
Ask the clan mothers to
come forward.
Grand Role of
1) Convene the chiefs who
L. 9: L. 8:
The
were selected yesterday
and invite them to join the
grand council. Have them
The
Assessment
The focus for this
lesson will be class
discussion. I will be
looking for student
Formative
Assessment:
discussion with
students about
Formative
Assessment:
Student identity
declarations and
Summative:
Reflection One- How
are different groups
represented in the
Formative
Assessment through
class discussion and
nomination of the
Summative: the
Venn diagram will be
a summative
evaluation based on
Summative: The
identity ripple will be
given a mark.
Class discussion as
formative
assessment.
Summative
Reflection: To what
extent were women
in the Iroquois
 1) Review the roles of men Formative
and women in Iroquois Assessment:
decision-making. listening to debate
comments.
L. 10:

Students will complete a Summative. The

quiz based on what they students will be
have learned so far. assigned a grade on
this quiz.
L. 11:
Quiz
One

1) Introduce the concept of Formative: concept

a collective identity and its lesson discussion
definition: A shared belief and Canadas
system that often includes identity.
L. 17: L. 16: L. 15:L. 14: L. 13: L. 12:

1) Have students study the Formative

wampum belt on page 82. Assessment:
What does it look like? discussion
What does it mean?
The

1) Students will complete a Summative

summative reflection on Reflection
how the Wampum Belt
reflects the collective
What The

1) Students will complete a Formative: Group

concept lesson on discussions.
consensus.
is

1) Working in clan groups, Formative

students will complete a
picture analysis of images
32, 38, and 43 from Learn
1) Have students reflect on Formative
the peacemaker story that assessment of group
they discussed at the discussion.
Why

beginning of the unit.

1) Students will work in Formative Or
pairs and read over page summative
91.
L. 18:
How
did

1) Students will complete a Summative

unit test on the Iroquois
Confederacy
L. 19:
Unit
Test

Students will design their Summative

utopian democracy using
the Iroquois and Athenian
L. 20:

systems as a model.
 Students will design their Summative
utopian democracy using
the Iroquois and Athenian
L. 21:

systems as a model.
Students will design their Summative
utopian democracy using
the Iroquois and Athenian
L. 22

systems as a model.