HIS103Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Iroquois, Scalps, Edward Braddock
European wars had some North American component, begins in 1756, leads to a war
in Europe
These conflicts were considered less important by Europeans, they were more
concerned with gaining titles / thrones
Why are the American wars important? Helps us understand the Seven Years
War --> American Revolution --> French Revolution --> War of 1812 --> Creation of
U.S. and Civil War --> Allied Countries in Europe
Strategy and Statecraft are products of culture / specific circumstances
○
What makes sense for a European only makes sense in context of European
history and situation
○
Beginning of European state system which grew by accident --> more than
European, affected by rest of world
Not organized into states --> Europeans believed that these people had no
religion because they didn't have the same symbols / belief structure as
Europe
○
Had a religion based on historical / cultural events separate form that of
European Christianity
○
Strategy / diplomacy / warfare developed from their own circumstances
○
Were not a state like Europe, no centralized decision making authority
▪
Autonomy amongst nations
▪
Autonomy amongst villages within nations
▪
Ceremonial and religious forum for promoting peaceful relations
between the people's of the Five Nations
▪
Believed deeply in peace --> especially peace within the League, would
fight anyone outside of League
▪
Participation and success in war determined man's prestige
Nature of society
Odd to him yet occurs in Europe. Glory was not unique
to Iroquois.
◊
Glory and la gloire stood for more than it seemed -->
maintaining Louis's power and helping to maintain his
state
◊
Embedded in patterns of maintaining power within
society
◊
1740s historian : "it is not for the sake of tribute that they
make war but from the notions of glory which they have ever
most strongly imprinted on their minds."
When a person died in Iroquois society, the power of
that person's family decline. Essential for that person to
be replaced.
◊
Bestow deceased person's name, social role and
responsibilities on another person
◊
Mourning war
social demands (more likely reason) or
□
Why did they go to war against other Indigenous groups? (17th
century) --> different pattern and reasons for war and results for war
▪
Seneca Cayuga Mohawk etc --> Iroquois confederacy / great League or Power
/ Iroquois League / Five Nations
○
Iroquois / Indigenous People in North America
Clashes in North America
October 12, 2016
2:12 PM
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responsibilities on another person
Not warring for territorial gain or plunder, trying
to grow population
Catch people alive, not kill everyone --> unlike
European glory of death in battle, NO HONOUR of
dying in war
Specific decision to replace individuals
Essential that people survive
Captives had choice to elect to take on role in
society (of dead person) or choose death
Process, extremely gruesome, torture and
cannibalism.
–
European observers witnessed this and
didn't understand ritualized nature of what
was happening
–
Hot brands
–
Scalps were removed
–
Flesh thrown into cooking kettles
–
Whole village feasted on remains
–
Not out of control --> pattern of behaviour
that served a function --> why it was
maintained
–
Connected with grief
–
Person proved themselves by showing how
long they could sustain
–
Some captives of war were slated for a ritual
execution
Need for more captives
–
Because firearms --> more Indigenous people
are killed, more grief, more war to replace
those who have been killed and assuage grief
–
Search for Beaver pellets
Find themselves so weak they need to
cooperate with Europeans to provide
protection from
Samuel De Champlain : necessary to
work with them in order to further his
own exploration and exploitation -->
needed assistance from Indigenous
Iron, firearms, etc. essential to Indigenous
economies and ways of life --> TRADE
becomes motive for warfare
–
Disease and weapons brought by Europeans would
disrupt
Waging mourning wars to take captives who would
replace the dead, ALSO to have captives who could be
used to assuage the grief caused by the loss of a loved
one
◊
external disputes
□
1665: mourning war tradition continues, but is added to new 'war
for trade', same spiral continues: disease - mourning wars -
deadlier wars = more deaths - more wars
□
Ongoing war for beaver leads to European conflict
□
British had hoped to use Iroquois confederation to help
1680s:
□
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British had hoped to use Iroquois confederation to help
pacify other indigenous groups to protect English colonies
and to help fight the French
French were worried that the Iroquois were expanding hunt
for beaver that French people were hunting from
French send army against Iroquois to (modern) Kingston
Kidnap Iroquois and residents of Fort Frontenac area
War between French and Iroquois --> French drive Iroquois
out, Iroquois starve because abandoned food source
Five Nations realize that they are stuck between English and
French, need to reset the situation, new solution
Current pattern of international relations is dysfunctional for
them
promised they would be neutral in Anglo-French
Wars
made arrangements regarding boundaries for
hunting territories
Plans for arbitration with French Governor
Those who went to Montreal
◊
Stay in alliance with English
Promised to continue trade with Albany
Downplayed importance of Montreal alliance
Those who went to Albany
◊
End of devastating cycle of war
Ensured hunting rights
Access to trade w both English and French
Promise of non-involvement in future wars -->
which they sought
Secured:
◊
Abandon warfare as a means for dealing with problems
created by Anglo-French rivalry
◊
English and French didn't understand Iroquois's
purpose / goals
◊
Send ambassadors to Montreal, and other ambassadors to
Albany (N.Y.) --> achieve the Grand Settlement of 1701
1700:
□
Nine Years War - King Williams War
French: said they would be neutral
▪
British: said they would continue alliance --> help British with attacks
and invasions. Iroquois waited / delayed until that was not necessary or
was cancelled
▪
Iroquois managed to maintain neutrality
○
1709: French governor of New France orders an indigenous fur trapper be
murdered, sensed that Montour was diverting trade from French to British
○
Iroquois wanted to join British to invade Canada
○
Shows Iroquois could be provoked into war
▪
But become frustrated by British incompetence, settle back into
neutrality
▪
Diplomats go to London, meet Archbishop, are convinced to help invade
Quebec, never happens, and British fail
○
Iroquois held balance of power in North America between English and French
until 1750s
○
Goods from English and French, played Europeans off of each other
○
Most important player in North American politics (early 18th century)
○
War of Spanish Succession - Queen Anne's War
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Document Summary
European wars had some north american component, begins in 1756, leads to a war in europe. These conflicts were considered less important by europeans, they were more concerned with gaining titles / thrones. War --> american revolution --> french revolution --> war of 1812 --> creation of. U. s. and civil war --> allied countries in europe. Beginning of european state system which grew by accident --> more than. Strategy and statecraft are products of culture / specific circumstances. What makes sense for a european only makes sense in context of european history and situation. Not organized into states --> europeans believed that these people had no religion because they didn"t have the same symbols / belief structure as. Had a religion based on historical / cultural events separate form that of. Strategy / diplomacy / warfare developed from their own circumstances. Seneca cayuga mohawk etc --> iroquois confederacy / great league or power.
