Full Answer
What was the Iroquois Covenant Chain?
Covenant Chain. The Covenant Chain, which borrowed heavily from the political ideology of the Haudenosaunee, was a complex system of alliances between the Iroquois League and Anglo-American colonies originating in the early 17th century, probably between the New York colony and the Mohawk.
Who was Sir William Johnson of the Mohawks?
Johnson of the Mohawks: A Biography of Sir William Johnson, Irish Immigrant, Mohawk War Chief, American Soldier, Empire Builder. New York: Macmillan. p. 447. ^ Taylor, Alan (10 September 2006).
Why did the Mohawk want Johnson reinstated as an Indian agent?
At the Congress, the Mohawk insisted that the alliance would be restored only if Johnson were reinstated as their agent. Johnson's reinstatement as Indian agent came the following year, just as the French and Indian War, the North American theater of the Seven Years' War, was escalating.
Why did the Mohawk tribe decline in population?
By the time Johnson arrived, their population had collapsed to 580 persons, due to chronic infectious diseases unwittingly introduced by Europeans and warfare with competing tribes related to the lucrative beaver trade. The Mohawk thought an alliance with Johnson could advance their interests in the British imperial system.
When was the Covenant Chain Broken?
June 1753Dissolution and Restoration of the Covenant Chain The Kanyen'kehà:ka announced formally in June 1753 that because colonial authorities had unjustly taken lands of the Haudenosaunee, the Covenant Chain was broken and the other five nations would be so informed.
When did the Covenant Chain end?
The Covenant Chain operated from the late 17th century until the middle of the 1750s. During most of its operation, New York took the lead in representing the English colonies because most negotiations took place in the Mohawk Valley .
Who was part of the Covenant Chain?
History. The Covenant Chain is embodied in the Two Row Wampum of the Iroquois, known as the people of the longhouse - Haudenosaunee. It was based in agreements negotiated between Dutch settlers in New Netherland (present-day New York) and the Five Nations of the Iroquois (or Haudenosaunee) early in the 17th century.
What was the silver chain covenant?
The covenant chain is made of silver symbolizing that the relationship will be polished from time to time to keep it from tarnishing. This was the basis of the Nation to Nation relationship between the British Crown and the First Nations who became their allies in the formation of early Canada.
What was the Covenant Chain quizlet?
The Covenant Chain was an alliance between the Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee) and the British colonies of North America. Their councils and subsequent treaties concerned colonial settlement, trade, and acts of violence between the Iroquois and the colonists.
What were two tribes that made up the Iroquois Confederacy?
The Iroquois Confederacy originally consisted of five separate nations – the Mohawks, who call themselves Kanienkehaka, or "people of the flint country,” the Onondaga, “people of the hills,” the Cayuga, “where they land the boats,” the Oneida, “people of the standing stone,” and the Seneca, “thepeople of the big hill” ...
What is a Hiawatha Belt?
This belt is a national belt of the Haudenosaunee. The belt is named after Hiawatha, an Onondaga who was the Peacemaker's helper in spreading the good words of Peace. In this belt, it records when five warring nations; the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk, buried their weapons of war to live in peace.
Who signed the Treaty of Niagara?
Sir William JohnsonThe 1764 Treaty of Fort Niagara was signed by Sir William Johnson for the Crown and 24 Nations from the Six Nations, Seneca, Wyandot of Detroit, Menominee, Algonquin, Nipissing, Ojibwa, Mississaugas, and others who were part of the Seven Nations of Canada and the Western Lakes Confederacy.
What is the Kaswentha Guswentha?
The Two Row Wampum Treaty, also known as Guswenta or Kaswentha and as the Tawagonshi Agreement of 1613 or the Tawagonshi Treaty, is a mutual treaty agreement, made in 1613 between representatives of the Five Nations of the Haudenosaunee (or Iroquois) and representatives of the Dutch government in what is now upstate ...
What are wampum belts?
Wampum are tubular purple and white beads made from shells. Wampum are used primarily by Indigenous peoples of the Eastern Woodlands for ornamental, ceremonial, diplomatic and commercial purposes. Belts made of wampum were used to mark agreements between peoples.
How long did the Iroquois Confederacy last?
For nearly 200 years, the Six Nations/Haudenosaunee Confederacy were a powerful factor in North American colonial policy, with some scholars arguing for the concept of the Middle Ground, in that European powers were used by the Iroquois just as much as Europeans used them.
How did the 7 year war change the treaty making process?
The Seven Years' War was a crucial turning point in Canadian history. With the Treaty of Paris of 1763, France formally ceded New France to the British, and largely withdrew from the continent. The Seven Years' War therefore laid the bicultural foundations of modern Canada.
How long did the Iroquois Confederacy last?
For nearly 200 years, the Six Nations/Haudenosaunee Confederacy were a powerful factor in North American colonial policy, with some scholars arguing for the concept of the Middle Ground, in that European powers were used by the Iroquois just as much as Europeans used them.
What is the Treaty of Niagara 1764?
Treaty of Niagara (1764) The Treaty was concluded on August 1, 1764. The treaty transferred possession of a narrow four mile strip of land by the Niagara River's western shore, as well as established the relationship that was supposed to be honoured by the new settlers moving into what would become Canada.
Why did English colonists and the Iroquois form the Covenant Chain in 1677?
Why did English colonists and the Iroquois form the Covenant Chain in 1677? Following the carnage of King Philip's War, the colonists and Iroquois met in an attempt to forestall any tension that could derail the fur trade.
What was the Covenant Chain?
The Covenant Chain was a series of alliances and treaties developed during the seventeenth century , primarily between the Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee) and the British colonies of North America , with other Native American tribes added. First developed in the New York area at a time of violence and social instability for ...
Why did the Covenant Chain begin?
Because of the standing relationship with the Iroquois and the extensive influence of the Haudenosaunee, in August 1675, New York's Governor Sir Edmund Andros asked them for help in ending regional conflicts of the time in New England and the Chesapeake. He worked with the Onondaga leader Daniel Karakontie. The term "Covenant Chain" was derived ...
What did the Iroquois say about their father?
The Iroquois did not agree with this and believed themselves at least to be equals. In a Covenant Chain council that took place in 1692, the Iroquois leaders asserted: You say that you are our father and I am your son... ...We will not be like Father and Son, but like Brothers.
Why were the English and Iroquois Councils important?
First developed in the New York area at a time of violence and social instability for the colonies and Native Americans, the English and Iroquois councils and subsequent treaties were based on supporting peace and stability to preserve trade.
What does the three link chain mean?
A three-link silver chain was made to symbolize their first agreement. The links represent "Peace, Friendship and Respect " between the Haudenosaunee and the Crown. It was also the first written treaty to use such phrases as: ...as long as the sun shines upon the earth; as long as the waters flow;
When did Queen Elizabeth II renew the Covenant Chain?
In June 2010, Queen Elizabeth II of Canada renewed the Covenant Chain Treaties by presenting 8 silver hand bells each to Band Chiefs from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and Six Nations of the Grand River in commemoration of 300 years of the Covenant Chain.
Why did the Albany Congress fail to work together?
The Albany Congress was called to help repair the chain. Colonial delegates failed to work together to improve the diplomatic relationship with the Iroquois, a serious shortcoming on the eve of the French and Indian War. As a result, the British government took the responsibility of Native American diplomacy out of the hands of the colonies and established the British Indian Department in 1755.
Who was Sir William's successor?
The next day chiefs of the Six Nations performed the traditional Iroquois condolence ceremony, and recognised Guy Johnson as Sir William's successor. During the American Revolution, the rebel New York legislature seized all of Johnson 's lands and property, as his heirs were Loyalists.
Who was the commander of the Fort Niagara expedition?
Johnson initially had nearly 5,000 colonials at his command, but General William Shirley, the governor of Massachusetts commissioned to lead a simultaneous expedition to Fort Niagara, shifted some of Johnson's men and resources to his own campaign against the French post. Tensions escalated as the two generals worked against each other in recruiting Native allies. The dispute was complicated by the unusual command structure: as Braddock's second-in-command, General Shirley was Johnson's superior officer, but when it came to Indian affairs, Johnson was theoretically in charge. In time, Shirley would blame the failure of his expedition on Johnson's refusal to provide him with adequate Indian support. According to the Johnson biographer Milton Hamilton, historians usually portrayed Johnson as acting unreasonably in the controversy with Shirley, but Hamilton argued that Johnson was reacting to Shirley's clumsy Indian diplomacy, which harmed the British relationship with the Six Nations.
Who were the three women who were in Johnson Hall?
Mary, Keghneghtago (Brant), and Tagawirunta (William) received inheritances in Johnson's will. In 1759, Johnson began a common-law relationship with Molly Brant, a Mohawk woman who moved into Johnson Hall and lived with Johnson as his consort for the rest of his life.
What wars did William Johnson fight?
King George's War. French and Indian War. Battle of Lake George. Battle of Carillon. Battle of Fort Niagara. Pontiac's Rebellion. Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet ( c. 1715 – 11 July 1774), was an Irish colonial administrator and military officer. As a young man, Johnson moved to the Province of New York to manage an estate purchased by his uncle, ...
When was William Johnson's mezzotint published?
This mezzotint of William Johnson was published in London in 1756. Johnson's reinstatement as Indian agent came the following year, just as the French and Indian War, the North American theatre of the Seven Years' War, was escalating.
Who is William Johnson's grandson?
A grandson of Sir William Johnson was the 3rd Baronet Sir Adam Gordon Johnson who was, through his mother Ann Watts, descendants from the Schuyler family, the Delancey family, and the Van Cortlandt family of British North America.
Was William Johnson's uncle a Protestant?
Although the Johnson family had a history of Jacobitism, William Johnson's uncle Peter Warren was raised as a Protestant to enable him to pursue a career in the British Royal Navy. He achieved considerable success, gaining wealth along the way. Admiral Sir Peter Warren, c. 1751.
Why did the Covenant Chain start?
When the Christians first came to this Country our Ancestors fastened the ship that brought them behind a Great Mountain with a Chain in order to secure the same which mountain lyes behind the Sinnekees Country, so that the one end of the Chain, being fastened there and the other end at ye Ship, if any body would steal away & molest this ship the chain will jingle & make a noise & so alarm all the 5 Nations who are bound to defend this ship & this is the foundation & original of the Covenant Chain among the 5 Nations, which our ancestors made, which was to preserve this ship from any harm gave a Belt of Wampum
Who renews the Covenant Chain of Friendship and Alliance?
The Govr renews the Covenant Chain of Friendship & Alliance with them in [on] behalf not only of this Province but of all her Majesties Dominions in North America.
What was the purpose of the Mohawks' speech?
The Mohawks’ speech addresses how the Covenant Chain was being undermined by the white colonists’ greed for Haudenosaunee land, a greed that never ceased. The records show that “hull” – meaning hull of corn – was the original English translation of the word the Mohawks used to describe their remaining lands in the Mohawk River Valley, but that the interpreter decided to use “small” instead. Peter Wraxall was the collector of these records and the secretary of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs. In 1754, Wraxall noted that the word “inticements” included “making them drunk.”. The Mohawk delegation’s speech to the Commissioners includes the following:
What did our wise Forefathers establish between the Five Nations?
OUR wise Forefathers established Union and Amity between the Five Nations; this has made us formidable; this has given us great Weight and Authority with our neighboring Nations.
When did the relationship between our brothers begin?
History of Relations with our Brothers: 1613 to Today
Who was the Haudenosaunee speaker who addressed the Crown?
Treaty at Albany. On September 14, a Haudenosaunee speaker, whose name is not recorded, rose in council and addressed “Brother Corlaer” – Governor William Burnet, who represented the Crown – and the other white diplomats including the governor of Pennsylvania, Sir William Keith. In this speech, note the imagery of how the chain would “jingle” throughout “the 5 Nations” if there was any danger to the Chain:
Who gave the Wampum to Queen Anne?
Hendrick and Brant, together with Oh Nee Yeath Ton No Prow (John) and Elow Ob Koam (the Mahican, known as Nicholas), presented the wampum to Queen Anne at St. James Palace on April l9, l7l0, and spoke to her through a translator:
Definition of The Covenant Chain
- The Covenant Chain, which borrowed heavily from the political ideology of the Haudenosaunee, was a complex system of alliances between the Haudenosaunee and Anglo-American colonies originating in the early 17th century. The first alliances were most likely betw…
Dissolution and Restoration of The Covenant Chain
- The Kanyen'kehà:ka announced formally in June 1753 that because colonial authorities had unjustly taken lands of the Haudenosaunee, the Covenant Chain was broken and the other five nations would be so informed. The following year, Anglo-American colonial leaders met in Albany, New York with Haudenosaunee delegates to restore the chain at a time when the French were e…
Contemporary Meaning
- Today, the Covenant Chain has been used to refer to alliances between the Crown and the Haudenosaunee and the Seven Nations of Canada. While not a formal treaty document, the idea of the Covenant Chain remains a strong presence in affairs between the state and Indigenous peoples in Canada, especially in Haudenosaunee and Seven Nations communities.
Overview
French and Indian War
The Covenant Chain is embodied in the Two Row Wampum of the Iroquois, known as the people of the longhouse - Haudenosaunee. It was based in agreements negotiated between Dutch settlers in New Netherland (present-day New York) and the Five Nations of the Iroquois (or Haudenosaunee) early in the 17th century. Their emphasis was on trade with the Native Americans. As the historian Bernard Bailyn has noted, all the colonies, Dutch and English, were first established to create prof…
Early life and career
Immigration to the colonies
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet of New York (c. 1715 – 11 July 1774), was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Ireland. As a young man, Johnson moved to the Province of New York to manage an estate purchased by his uncle, Royal Navy officer Peter Warren, which was located in territory of the Mohawk, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League, or Haudenosaunee. Johnson learned the Mohawk language and Iroquois customs, and was appoi…
King George's War
In June 1753, Hendrick Theyanoguin and a delegation of Mohawk traveled to New York City, where they announced to Governor Clinton that the Covenant Chain—the diplomatic relationship between the British and the Iroquois—was broken. The British government ordered Clinton to convene the Albany Congress of 1754 to repair the Covenant Chain. At the Congress, the Mohawk insisted that the alliance would be restored only if Johnson were reinstated as their agent.
Postwar development
William Johnson was born around 1715 in County Meath, in the Kingdom of Ireland. He was the eldest son of Christopher Johnson (1687–1764) of Smithstown, Co. Meath and Anne Warren, daughter of Michael Warren of Warrenstown, Co. Meath and Catherine Aylmer, sister of Admiral Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer.
His mother Anne was from an "Old English" Catholic gentry family who had, in previous generatio…
Pontiac's War and final years
Peter Warren had purchased a large tract of undeveloped land along the south side of the Mohawk River in the province of New York. Warren convinced Johnson to lead an effort to establish a settlement there, to be known as Warrensburgh, with the implied understanding that Johnson would inherit much of the land. Johnson arrived in about 1738 with twelve Irish Protestant families and began to clear the land. He purchased enslaved Africans to do the heavy labor of cle…
Marriage and family
In 1744, the War of the Austrian Succession spread to colonial America, where it was known as King George's War. Because of his close relationship with the Mohawk, in 1746 Johnson was appointed by the British colonial government as New York's agent to the Iroquois, replacing the Albany-based Indian commissioners. The newly created "Colonel of the Warriors of the Six Nations" was instructed to enlist and equip colonists and Indians for a campaign against the Fre…