Iroquois Diplomacy on the Early American Frontier : The Penguin Library of American Indian History

The newest addition to the Penguin Library of American Indian History explores the most influential Native American Confederacy More than perhaps any other Native American group, the Iroquois found it to their advantage to interact with and adapt to white settlers. Despite being known as fierce warriors, the Iroquois were just as reliant on political prowess and sophisticated diplomacy to maintain their strategic position between New France and New York. Colonial observers marveled at what Benjamin Franklin called their method of doing business” as Europeans learned to use Iroquois ceremonies and objects to remain in their good graces. Though the Iroquois negotiated with the colonial governments, they refused to be pawns of European empires, and their savvy kept them in control of much of the Northeast until the American Revolution. Iroquois Diplomacy and the Early American Frontieris a must-read for anyone fascinated by Native American history or interested in a unique perspective on the dawn of American government.

Timothy J . Shannon is a professor of history at Gettysburg College. He is the author of Indians and the Colonists at the Crossroads of Empire as well as numerous scholarly articles.

Iroquois Diplomacy on the Early American Frontier Prologue. Four Kings and a Queen
1. Peace in the Balance
2. Linking Arms
3. "The Method of Doing Business"
4. Paths and Chains
5. Partners in Empire
6. New Nations
Epilogue. John Norton's American Frontier

Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Notes
Index