It did not allow for any system of federal taxation, so support for the confederacy had to be maintained by voluntary means and its power was strictly limited. The Iroquois system also assured civil and common law rights for women much sooner than the U.S. Constitution codified these rights. Discuss with the class how the Cherokees viewed the individual in society. Discuss examples of how we share or dissent with this view today. Obviously, there is considerable diversity in peoples attitudes about the freedom of the individual, but for the purpose of discussion the class may use existing laws as a gauge of the prevailing attitude.
History is written by the victors.
European colonists used military force to conquer the American Indians. Discuss the irony of this event in light of the Cherokee influence on Founding Fathers such as Thomas Jefferson. But if there is one lesson to learn from a closer look at the successful liberal institutions of the Cherokee and Iroquois, it is that the principles that allow diverse individuals to live together in peace are cross-cultural. Ensuring a protected domain for individuals to shape their own destiny is critical to the success of any society. This is because diversity among individuals their values, their talents, their knowledge, and their aspirations is a fact in every culture.