A Longhouse Fragmented: Ohio Iroquois Autonomy in the Nineteenth Century

The story of Native Americans, and how they were displaced from their lands, is a long and sad history. What if some of these communities used moving as a way to show they were autonomous, that they knew they faced challenges, and that they wanted to control the moves as much as possible. This thin book explores the world of that autonomy by examining the Iroquois of Ohio and how they used their Longhouse as a way to exert autonomy when negotiating treaties with the United States. While the Iroquois did eventually move to Oklahoma, then called Indian Territory, they used their Longhouse, their meeting place, as a way to tell the Americans they will go on their own terms.

This slim book, just over 100 pages, provides an interesting opening for students of Native American history. By examining the role of the Longhouses, a feature that is often ignored or misinterpreted, the author does a good job bringing it to life. For students and educators, this will become an important opening book, which will lead to more avenues for research.