Native American Contributions to the Founding of our Nation

I hated studying history in school--any history. That, and civics. Blech-h-h! Native American contributions to our nation's founding? Current events? Are you kidding me?

Of course, they were Indians back then. The "Native American" thing came along a good bit later. But still. With my bad attitude, it's a wonder I didn't end up as ignorant as the young folks on the street who told Jay Leno they believed the United States was founded in 1922.

However, that all changed in the autumn of 1963. Nineteen years old, about to turn twenty, I was competing in the bull riding at Lewiston, Idaho. Although "competing" is a rather optimistic term for it; the bull I'd drawn--called "Missoula A4"--plowed my chin into the arena dirt very shortly after the chute gate opened. Chin met rock. Drew blood shaving over that scar for the next thirty years.

Still, riding (or attempting to ride) was never the only thing going on at a rodeo. There were the pretty girls at the rodeo dance--one in particular--and there was (for me) a book. While in the area, waiting for my shot at fame and fortune, I had to have a place to stay. Found one, too, a spot right off the highway, partway up the steep twisting grade heading out of Lewiston. Plenty of room to tuck my 1952 Chevy back into the trees and time to kick back, catch up on my sleep...and my reading.

The book was The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

I absorbed it. The history of Hitler's rise and demise consumed me. History--real history, not the boring recitation of dates, events, and places we all got in high school--came alive.

Now I'm writing about the stuff.

So, to the point: Native American contributions to our nation's founding. Did you know that our country was never designed to be a democracy? Athens was a democracy, but (as informed conservatives but few others realize) the United States of America was conceived as a Constitutional Republic.

Hey, yeah, okay, but how did Madison and Jefferson and the rest of them come up with that idea? It's not like it had ever been done before--

--Oh. Wait. Yes, it had been done before. In fact, the red man had done it. The Constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy had guided the Five Nations (later the Six Nations) for centuries prior to the advent of the white man.

Reading their document in English is fascinating despite the fact that it comes from a people who "back in the day" had no written language. It's extremely detailed, specific, and provides for the sovereignty of the individual tribes in much the same way our Constitution provides for the sovereignty of our individual states (prior to President Obama's clear and present intent to squash the states virtually out of existence).

They even had a precise provision for impeaching anybody who needed impeaching! Check out this passage from the Fordham University rendition of the document (emphasis mine):

35. Should any man of the Nation assist with special ability or show great interest in the affairs of the Nation, if he proves himself wise, honest and worthy of confidence, the Confederate Lords may elect him to a seat with them and he may sit in the Confederate Council. He shall be proclaimed a 'Pine Tree sprung up for the Nation' and shall be installed as such at the next assembly for the installation of Lords. Should he ever do anything contrary to the rules of the Great Peace, he may not be deposed from office -- no one shall cut him down -- but thereafter everyone shall be deaf to his voice and his advice. Should he resign his seat and title no one shall prevent him. A Pine Tree chief has no authority to name a successor nor is his title hereditary.

Cool. They'd impeach a bad politician by just plain ignoring him, but hey, no killing the guy! Oh, if he quits on his own? That's good enough; let the guy go.

Our Congress-critters don't follow that rule exactly these days, but yeah, you can see the similarities....

A heap more Native Americans fought for the British during the Revolutionary War than the relatively small number who sided with the rebel colonists. The Iroquois Confederacy, discussed above, was blown to bits by the disruption--in large part because the Seneca, Onandaga, and Cayuga (three of the then Six Nations) fought for the Crown, the Mohawk fought on both sides...and the British lost. Not a good time for the Iroquois.

There were some who helped us out, though, especially Oneida and Tuscarora warriors.

Creeks, Chickasaws, and Choctaws...not so much.

The Catawbas? On our side.

Man, this can be confusing. But ya know what? By every indication, it was even more confusing for the Native Americans who lived in those times. What to do? Side with Americans because your most-hated-enemies among the other tribes were raiding on behalf of Great Britain? Try to stay neutral? (Yeah, good luck with that one!) Help out George the Third because if he loses, you may lose access to all those great high tech goodies from Europe? You know, like woollen blankets and steel hatchets and stuff. So....

Wow. And I thought We the People faced some tough decisions in the Obama era!

This series of Hubs began with a piece on Black Founders (and Revolutionary War Heroes) in response to the strident class warfare being so diligently practiced by President Barack Hussein Obama and pretty much the entire Left. They attack the U.S. Constitution as being out of date and nothing but a meaningless product of a bunch of old white men just a-looking out for other old white men, anyway. They work diligently and ceaselessly to get us to hate each other on the basis of rich-vs.-poor, my-color-vs.-your-color, employer-vs.-employee, you name it.

Well, shame on them. These United States of America weren't built that way. In 2011, heading into the pivotal election year of 2012, we're not buying the B.S. It was a whole big mix of folks who made this nation happen, and it'll be a whole big mix of us that holds it together next year.

In closing, one of my original song videos--not set in Revolutionary War times, but recognizing the brotherhood between Red and White nonetheless.

Remember in November 2012.