What is the governing body of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy that coordinates governance across nations?

• A. The Federal Senate
• B. The House of Chiefs
• C. The Confederation Assembly
• D. The Grand Council

Answer: (D)

The Grand Council is the inter-nation governing body of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, created under the Great Law of Peace to coordinate decisions that affect all nations. Representatives from each nation—sachems who sit together—meet to decide on matters like diplomacy, treaties, and actions in war or peace, with decisions traditionally reached by consensus rather than force. This council brings together the six nations (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora) to ensure unity and coordinated policy across the confederacy, while each nation still handles its own internal matters through its own leadership and clan structures.