How many nations originally formed the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and which tribes were included?

• A. Five nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca
• B. Four nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca
• C. Five nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Erie
• D. Five nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Susquehannock

Answer: (A)

The question tests knowledge of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s origin and who founded it. The Confederacy began as a union of five nations—Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca—forming a sophisticated system of shared governance and mutual defense under the Great Law of Peace. This is why the five nations list is the correct answer. The Erie and Susquehannock were not original members of the Five Nations; the Erie were defeated and dispersed by the Iroquois, and the Susquehannock were a separate neighboring group. Later, the Tuscarora joined, bringing the total to six, but that happened after the original formation, so the correct focus is the five nations and their names.