Name: ______________________________________
Date___________________
Title: Santee and Gantowisa
Source: Our Canada: Origins, Peoples, Perspectives
Allaire
Pages 20-25
Activity 1.3 Key
Author: Rees, Anderson Gerrits,
I can… I can describe the economic structure of the Haudenosaunee society
I can describe the political structure of the Haudenosaunee society
Before Reading:
Background Knowledge
1. Describe some of the characteristics of a great leader (name at least 3):
Possible answer: I think a great leader is someone who is someone with skills and
knowledge that benefit a group of people, someone who is respected and trusted, and
someone who puts others before themselves. (page 23)
Vocabulary Development
Instructions: Complete the graphic organizer below
Term
Definition
How was it used
How do you picture the
in the textbook?
term?
Clan Mothers:
Female leaders of
… The clan mothers
clans in the
had urged the
Haudenosaunee
Hoyaneh – the
society.
leaders of the
Mohawk nation- to
consider moving.
(page 21)
Hoyaneh:
A Haudenosaunee
leader.
… The clan mothers
had urged the
Hoyaneh – the
leaders of the
Mohawk nation- to
consider moving.
(page 21)
1
Name: ______________________________________
Peacemaker:
The man named
Dekanawidah, who
brought the Great
Law of Peace to the
Haudenosaunee
Date___________________
Activity 1.3 Key
It was here that
the peacemaker
had proved himself
to the Mohawks.
(pg 21)
Great Law of Peace The constitution of
The Mohawks had
the Haudenosaunee adopted the great
Confederacy
law of peace there
and then. (Pg 21)
Alliance
An agreement
among a group of
nations to act
together to support
each other’s
interests.
First Nations
negotiated
alliances for many
reasons…(pg 22)
1.
During Reading
Instructions:
- Read “A Story about Haudenosaunee Society” as well as “Hadenosaunee
Backgrounder” on pages 20- 25
-
Using your transparencies and dry erase marker, code your text:
L for Land (how they used the land)
T for Technologies (what technologies they used)
G for Group Decisions ( How they made group decisions)
M for Male roles
F for Female roles
2
Name: ______________________________________
Date___________________
Activity 1.3 Key
After Reading- Retell
Instructions: Complete the following graphic organizer using the information you code
from the text.
Haudenosaunee Society
Political Structure
Economic
Structure
Land Use
 Lived in year-round settlements of
longhouses
 Longhouses were framed in wood
and covered in elm bark
 Were agricultural people
 Grew the “three sisters” (corn,
beans, and squash)
 Forrest provided berries, roots,
maple syrup, and game.
Group Decisions
 Great law of Peace
 Haudenosaunee
confederacy
 Alliances
 Grand Council
Technologies
 Longhouses
 Evergreen mattress
 Basket
 Fish heads as fertilizer
 Wampum belts
Roles of Women
 Clan mothers
(female leaders)
 Clan mother teach
little girls to sew
(ex. Leather
mocassins)
 Looked after
children .
“groomed” the next
generation of
leaders.
 Clan mothers chose
the Hoyaneh and
can choose to
replace him
Roles of Men
 Peacemaker
aka
Dekanawidah
 Hoyaneh
Using the previous graphic organizer, how would you describe the Haudensosaunee’s
economic structure?
3
Name: ______________________________________
Date___________________
Activity 1.3 Key
Possible answer: The Haudenosaunee lived in year round settlements and lived off of the
land around these settlements. The land would provide them with crops such as corn, beans,
and squash and the forest provided a variety of food such as berries, syrup, and game.
Using the previous graphic organizer, how would you describe the Haudensosaunee’s
political structure?
Possible Answer: In the Haudenosaunee society, both the men and women had a lot of
power when it came to politics. The women were in charge of the children and the clan
mothers chose the Hoyaneh. The men could also become peacemaker and everyone followed
the Great Law of Peace.
Fill out the following two diagrams using information found in “Haudenosaunee
Backgrounder” on pages 24-25
Haudenosaunee Flag
4
Name: ______________________________________
Date___________________
Activity 1.3 Key
Relate:
Instructions: Complete the following Venn diagram using the information from this
assignment and 1.2
Mi’kmaq

Anishinabe
The Mi’kmaq would move

seasonally to hunt

leadership dodems of the
roles in decision making
meetings in which only the men had
crane and loon.
and tended mostly to
a say
domestic chores

The leader was called a Saqamaw

The Mikmaq nation was made up of
7 districts

made through the
Women didn’t have large

Political decisions were made by

They had a spiritual clan
called the Midewin
society
All have an economic and

Council of Elders
Political decisions were
political structure
They value the contribution of

everyone in society
 Both stayed in one
Have a great respect for creation
place all year round


Both had a grand

council
Grew crops in
addition to hunting

Lived in Longhouses


Followed the Great law of Peace
Haudenosaunee confederacy consisted of 5
different nations
Had Clan Mothers (female leaders)
Had a peacemaker called Dekanawidah
Had a male leader called Hoyaneh



Haudenosaunee
5
Name: ______________________________________
Date___________________
Activity 1.3 Key
Complete the following sentence starter:
The most important way the Haudenosaunee are similar to the Mi’kmaq and Anishinabe
is… because…
Possible answer: All three had an economic and political structure. Their economic
structures all involved living off of the land and the wildlife the land provided. Political
decisions were made by group decisions in all three societies
The most important way the Haudenosaunee are different to the Mi’kmaq and Anishinabe
is… because…
Possible answer: The most important difference with the Haudenosaunee compared to
the Mi’kmaq and the Anishinabe would be the role women played in the Haudenosaunee
society. Women did not only tend to just domestic chores (like sewing) but they also
played a part in the society’s decision making as Clan Mothers.
Reflect:
Now I know that a great leader is someone who…
Possible answer: … is a great listener to everyone and ensures that everyone’s opinions
matter. They have an open heart and open mind. A great leader is someone who is strong,
honourable, and is trustworthy.
6
Name: ______________________________________
Date___________________
Activity 1.3 Key
The tree of peace
The Eagle
The Tree
The great white pine
represents the Great
Law of Peace among
the 5
Haudenosaunee
nations
Has a place at the
top to warn of any
danger threatening
the people of the
league.
The Branches
Represent the
protection of those
nations under the
Great Law of Peace
The Great White Roots
Each root represents the
North, South, East, and
West. They represent
Peace and Strength. Any
person who follows the
Great Law of Peace
should follow the roots to
the Council of the League
of Peace.
The Weapon
This shows that the
Haudenosaunee cast all weapons
of war away. The weapons
should be buried from sight so
that hostilities won’t be shown
between the nations of
confederacy.
7