The League of the Iroquois, the most famous native government in North
America, dominated intertribal diplomacy in the Northeast and influenced
the course of American colonial history for nearly two centuries. The
age and early development of the League, however, have long been in
dispute. In this highly original book, two anthropological
archaeologists with differing approaches and distinct regional interests
synthesize their research to explore the underpinnings of the
confederacy. Wonderley and Sempowski endeavor to address such issues as
when tribes coalesced, when intertribal alliances presaging the League
were forged, when the five-nation confederation came to fruition, and
what light oral tradition may shine on these developments.
This groundbreaking work develops a new conversation in the field of
Indigenous studies, one that deepens our understanding of the Iroquois
League's origins.