Great Law of Peace

E221923

The Great Law of Peace is the oral constitution and political-philosophical framework that established and guided the governance, diplomacy, and social order of the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Confederacy.

All labels observed (4)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf foundational text of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy
legal code
oral constitution
political philosophy
appliesTo Iroquois Confederacy
surface form: Haudenosaunee Confederacy

Iroquois Confederacy
associatedWith Tree of Peace
wampum belts
continuesInForce as a living constitutional tradition among the Haudenosaunee
defines laws of adoption and naturalization of other groups
procedures for deposing chiefs
procedures for selecting chiefs
protocols for inter‑nation councils
roles of chiefs (rotiyaneson / hoyaneh)
roles of clan mothers
structure of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy
emphasizes peace
power through unity
righteousness and justice
governs decision‑making processes of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy
procedures of the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee
relations among member nations of the Haudenosaunee
hasCulturalSignificance core element of Haudenosaunee identity
source of Haudenosaunee diplomatic protocols
hasFeature collective leadership
consensus‑based decision making
division of responsibilities among clans and nations
principles of balance and reciprocity
rules for condolence and peacemaking
symbolism of the Tree of Peace
hasLanguage Haudenosaunee oral tradition
hasMedium oral tradition
hasRole framework for diplomacy
framework for governance
framework for social order
hasSubject intergenerational responsibility
limits on the exercise of authority
peaceful resolution of conflict
responsibilities of leaders to the people
influenced later discussions of democratic governance
political thought about federalism in North America
originatedIn pre‑colonial North America
originatedWith Haudenosaunee
surface form: Haudenosaunee peoples

Haudenosaunee
surface form: Iroquois nations
recognizedBy Haudenosaunee communities as their constitutional foundation
traditionalAttributionTo Hiawatha
Peacemaker (Deganawida)
uses wampum belts as mnemonic records

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (18)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Iroquois Confederacy foundingTradition Great Law of Peace
Iroquois Confederacy legalCode Great Law of Peace
Haudenosaunee governedBy Great Law of Peace
council of chiefs associatedWith Great Law of Peace
subject surface form: Council of Chiefs (Mohawk)
Onondaga governedBy Great Law of Peace
this entity surface form: Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace
Hiawatha relatedConcept Great Law of Peace
Five Nations followsLaw Great Law of Peace
Six Nations followsConstitution Great Law of Peace
The Great Peacemaker associatedWith Great Law of Peace
Tree of Peace associatedWith Great Law of Peace
Tree of Peace relatedConcept Great Law of Peace
this entity surface form: Great Law of Peace wampum
Onondaga nation uses Great Law of Peace
People of the Longhouse governedBy Great Law of Peace
The Peacemaker associatedWith Great Law of Peace
Ganienkeh Mohawk community leadership appliesPrinciplesOf Great Law of Peace
this entity surface form: Kaianere’kó:wa (Great Law of Peace)
Mohawk First Nation community governanceBasedOn Great Law of Peace
this entity surface form: Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace
Onöñda’gega’ associatedWith Great Law of Peace
Onondaga Nation central council fire follows Great Law of Peace