HSS 8.2

Haudenosaunee Seal Public Domain

Haudenosaunee Impact on the US Constitution

HSS 8.2, W.8.2, W.8.4, W.8.6, W.8.8

This lesson on the Haudenosaunee Confederacy offers students a powerful opportunity to explore the roots of American democracy through the lens of Indigenous governance. Centered on the Great Law of Peace and the political structure of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the lesson emphasizes how Native ideas of unity, consensus, and leadership directly influenced the formation of the U.S. Constitution.

A parade in Greenville. Dugan Aguilar. Courtesy of Oakland Museum of California

Tribal Governments: Sovereignty, Treaties and Constitutions

HSS 8.2, HSS 8.3, HSS 8.4, RI.8.1, RI.8.2

This unit on tribal sovereignty and government introduces students to foundational concepts of Native American self-governance, treaties, federal recognition and tribal constitutions. Students will learn how tribal sovereignty is an inherent right of Native American tribes to govern their lands, manage resources, and uphold their communities. The unit explores the unique relationship Tribes have with the United States government through the creation of treaties.