Navajo Origin and Iroquois Constitution Answers

Navajo Origin

1) The words used in this passage are very descriptive and colorful.  For example, the story refers to the gods as Blue Body, Black Body, etc.  The impression these words made on me was that the Navajo used colorful words in everyday life.

4)  (a) In the Navajo creation ceremony, on the twelfth day, the people washed themselves.  Women dried themselves with yellow cornmeal while men dried themselves with white cornmeal.  Following that, a call to the gods is made four times.  Each time louder than the previous.
   
     (b) The ritual tells me that the Navajo conduct the ceremony in a way for all of the people to remember how they were created. They also use elements that were present at the creation to reinforce this idea of remembrance.

5)  (a) The wind has an important role during the ceremony.  The find provides life and without it no life could exist according to the Navajo.
 
     (b) The wind contrasts with other rituals in the ceremony because the wind  is the key to life while the other elements, like the buckskin are purely ceremonial.

Iroquois Constitution

1) If I was a chief, this would persuade me to join the Iroquois Confederation.  This is because, at the time, Native Americans were being attacked by colonists and by agreeing to join together with other tribes, it would make my odds of survival greater.

2) (a) The lords plant the tree of the great peace

    (b) The roots represent peace and strength

3) (a) The lords must open the meeting by expressing gratitude to their cousin lords

    (b) This decree suggests that the Iroquois are a polite people that are friendly to other tribes

4) (a) Dekanawidah uses the images of a tree, an eagle, and deer antlers

    (b) These references tell me that the Iroquois used nature as symbols for everyday ideas

5) (a) The qualities of conduct required from lords are qualities of respect resistance to anger, offensive actions, and criticism.  Also, a lord must be filled with peace and yearn for the goodwill of the people of the confederacy.  A lord must also be tender to his people and deliberate on his actions.

    (b) These qualities are what politicians run for office on today.  However, in reality, politicians rarely display these qualities and are generally more selfish than the leaders of the Iroquois Confederacy.

6) I agree with the ideas stated in the constitution because the constitution values the people of the confederacy and not just the leaders.  The constitution requires leaders to be humble and thoughtful rather than rash and oppressive.  These values are necessary for a peaceful and prosperous society.