The First Canadians I
Benjamin Franklin was one of the Pennsylvania reps to the Albany Congress in 1754 which had been convened by the English Board of Trade to discuss taking joint action to a) improve relations with the Indians and b) defend against the “canucks” who were making life miserable for the “yanqui bastonnais” on the borders of the northern colonies. He scolded them for their inability, yet again, to form a united approach to the issues. The seven colonies involved were New hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Two things emerged from the Albany Congress that were off-objective, but positive.
a) In 1755, the English established the legendary William Johnson as Superintendent of Indian affairs for the northern department. He had tremendous influence with the Iroquois due to his committment to fair dealing with them. He had built baronial mansions in the Mohawk valley and lived with Chief Hendrick’s niece and Joseph Brant’s sister, successively, after his first wife died. His influence persuaded all the Iroquoian tribes but a segment of the Senecas to stay with the English in the Seven Years’ War.
b) Ben Franklin had written a plan of Union for the Albany Congress – one of several early attempts to unite the colonies. Part of his plan was incorporated in the Articles of Confederation which kept the states together from 1781 to 1787 when the Constitution was drafted and adopted.
So that’s how myths are born from facts.
There never was a written “Iroquois Constitution”. By sifting through contemporary sources, ie; “The Jesuit Relations”, historians have tried to piece together the real story and still argue about it. Continue Reading »
