How did the Albany Plan of Union differ from the Iroquois Confederacy? Responses

Question

a. The Albany Plan did not persuade colonists to unite, while the Iroquois Confederacy bound members together to solve problems.
b. The Albany Plan successfully united the thirteen colonies against the French, while all groups in the Iroquois Confederacy were against the British.
c. The Albany Plan let the people elect the governor of the colony, while the Iroquois Confederacy required chiefs to appoint the main leader.
d. The Albany Plan forced colonists to avoid death, while the Iroquois Confederacy allowed individuals to vote on joining.

Answer 1

The correct response that highlights the difference between the Albany Plan of Union and the Iroquois Confederacy is:

a. The Albany Plan did not persuade colonists to unite, while the Iroquois Confederacy bound members together to solve problems.

The Albany Plan aimed to create a unified government for the thirteen colonies but ultimately did not gain sufficient support from the colonies. In contrast, the Iroquois Confederacy was a well-established alliance that effectively united its member tribes to address common issues and challenges.

Answer 2

Explain your answer.

Answer 3

The Albany Plan of Union, proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754, was an early attempt to create a unified government for the American colonies to coordinate defense and promote collaboration, particularly in response to the threat posed by French expansion in North America. Despite its progressive vision for colonial unity, the plan was met with skepticism and ultimately rejected by both the colonial assemblies and the British government. Colonists were reluctant to give up local power and did not fully see the need for such a unified structure, demonstrating a lack of commitment to inter-colonial cooperation at that time.

In contrast, the Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee or Six Nations, was a longstanding alliance of Native American tribes (originally five, later six) that had developed a well-functioning political system and governance structure. The Confederacy allowed member tribes to come together to address collective issues, such as warfare, trade, and resource management. The Iroquois had established mechanisms for decision-making that effectively engaged all member nations, fostering unity and cooperation among them.

Thus, the key difference lies in the efficacy and acceptance of the two frameworks: the Iroquois Confederacy successfully bound its members together in a strong alliance, while the Albany Plan failed to persuade the colonies to unite, illustrating different levels of political cohesion and governance among the Iroquois and the American colonists.

Answer 4

What about the other answer choices?

Answer 5

Let's analyze the other answer choices to clarify why they are not correct in distinguishing the Albany Plan of Union from the Iroquois Confederacy:

b. The Albany Plan successfully united the thirteen colonies against the French, while all groups in the Iroquois Confederacy were against the British.

• This statement is inaccurate because the Albany Plan did not successfully unite the thirteen colonies. It was proposed as a way to coordinate efforts against the French and their Native American allies, but it was ultimately rejected. Furthermore, the Iroquois Confederacy was not uniformly against the British; they had complex relationships and alliances, at times siding with the British depending on the political context and their interests.

c. The Albany Plan let the people elect the governor of the colony, while the Iroquois Confederacy required chiefs to appoint the main leader.

• This statement misrepresents the governance structures. The Albany Plan proposed a president-general appointed by the British crown and a council made up of delegates from the colonies, rather than an elected governor. In the Iroquois Confederacy, the chiefs, or sachems, were often chosen through a hereditary system but could also be influenced by the tribes' decisions. The specific details of leadership in both systems (elected vs. appointed) don’t accurately highlight their differences.

d. The Albany Plan forced colonists to avoid death, while the Iroquois Confederacy allowed individuals to vote on joining.

• This statement does not accurately reflect the situations at hand. The Albany Plan did not forcibly protect colonists from death; its aim was to facilitate joint defense against threats. Furthermore, the Iroquois Confederacy did not operate on a direct democratic model where individuals voted to join; rather, tribes were members of the Confederacy through longstanding alliances that involved consensus and mutual agreements among leaders.

In summary, each of these alternatives includes inaccuracies or misrepresents the historical context, relationships, and governance structures of the Albany Plan and the Iroquois Confederacy. The chosen answer (a) correctly identifies a fundamental difference in their effectiveness and the nature of unity they achieved.