Iroquois Indians

Definition

A historically powerful northeast Native American confederacy known as "The Six Nations," comprising of Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora tribes.

Analogy

Consider Iroquois Indians as a sports team made up of star players from different positions (tribes). Each player brings unique skills to the game (culture), but they work together under one name (Iroquois Confederacy) to become a formidable force on field (in North America).

Related terms

Great Law of Peace: The oral constitution whereby the Iroquois Confederacy was bound together; it is believed to have influenced the U.S. Constitution.

Longhouse: Traditional type of housing used by Iroquois tribes; longhouses could house multiple families related through matrilineal descent.

Three Sisters Agriculture: The agricultural system of growing maize (corn), beans, and squash together, a practice common among the Iroquois and other Native American tribes.