The Micmac V.S. The Iroquois

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

friendship with the Ojibway to the North.
The Micmac government was three-tiered, with local, district, and
national chiefs, or ‘Sagamores'. Each settlement's council of elders chose a
local chief. The chief was the focus of power in the settlement. The local chief
attained position through both hereditary right and meritorious behavior. The
oldest son of a dead chief was usually given first consideration as a successor.
If he was found unfit for office, despite special training, others in family
and/or others in the community were considered. These chiefs usually had two
assistants or captains. These were called second and third watchers. They would
assume command from a sick or incompetent chief. The local chiefs would convene
in a district council and select one of their numbers to preside over their
meetings and represent the regions' interests. Councils usually met in the
spring or fall, and all decisions were based on unanimity.
District Sagamores made up the governing body ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

of the league. Although each nation
possessed unique responsibility in the confederacy, no sachem had greater rights
than another. Onondaga had 14 representatives; the Cayuga, 10; the Mohawk and
Oneida, nine; and the Seneca, eight. All council decisions were unanimous.
Onondaga as the fire-keepers (chairman) and the Mohawks as the founders of the
league , had the special duty and right of preventing a decision from passing if
it was harmful to the people. The two head Seneca chiefs were stationed at the
door of the council room, to prevent any unwanted motion from proceeding.
Iroquois women held other powers in their communities. All member
nations were matriarchal. All goods, ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library. Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports, and research papers in 2 minutes or less.

CITE THIS PAGE: