As colonial leaders such as Ben Franklin an Thomas Jefferson visited with the Haudenosaunee. At these meetings, the chiefs discussed how our government works. These meetings provided a framework for the 13 colonies to form a similar government to be free. The old ones say that the new US government borrowed our symbols because they had none of their own.
- The Peace Maker symbolizes Strength and Unity by tying five arrows bound together. When bound together in one mind, one heart and law, they are unbreakable.
- The United States symbolizes the original 13 states with 13 arrows.
The Peace Maker symbolizes goodness and purity by uprooting a White Pine Tree. Under the tree, the Haudenosaunee people buried their weapons of hatred and war against each other. The white pine tree’s needles are bundled in groups of five to remind us of this unity. The tree’s white roots spread in the 4 directions so people who desire peace will find their way to the Haudenosaunee.- The Peace Maker directed everyone threw their weapons of hatred, jealousy, anger, and war under the great White Pine Tree of Peace – colonists use this action to create the saying of, “bury the hatchet” to describe peace.
- The United States uses the olive branch to symbolize goodness and purity with the olive branch having 13 leaves.
- The Peace Maker placed the eagle on top of the Tree of Peace to warm the Haudenosaunee with its great eyesight of any dangers on the horizon.
- The United States also utilizes the eagle as their national bird. In the eagle’s talons, are 13 arrows bound
- The Peacemaker has the chiefs divided into three groups, the Older Brothers, Younger Brothers and the Fire Keepers. Each of the three branches must be in agreement for laws to be passed.
- The United States has three groups to decide on its laws, the Presidential, Legislative, and the Judicial branches of government. Each section of government must be in agreement for laws to be valid.
- The chiefs of the Haudenosaunee are symbolized by a white circle wampum with 50 single strings representing each chief united together.
- The United States first flag symbolized the union of the 13 states with 13 stars in a circle of blue.
- The Hiawatha Belt originally showed the each of the five nations with a symbol united together.
- The United States created a flag with 13 stripes representing the 13 original states.
- The Peace Maker uses the phrase: Sga·dah hwe’dwayéñ’ ne’ oñgwa’nigoñhä·’ (we are of One Mind).
- The United states uses the phrase: E pluribus unum (out of many: one).
- Each chief has an equal say in the decisions for the people and the future 7 generations.
- The United States has representatives who each have 1 vote to decide on the future.
- The Peace Maker set in process which the council is the voice of the the people. The United States government is also based in this ideal, that the government is for the people.
