Erie Canal, Haudenosaunee Map

Onondaga Lake The Great Law of Peace — the oral constitution of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy — was established at Onondaga Lake, outlining principles of union, collective governance, and consensus that later influenced U.S. democratic ideals.

Albany In 1754, Benjamin Franklin introduced the Albany Plan of Union, a proposal for colonial unification modeled in part on Haudenosaunee political structure. While the plan was never adopted, it documented early Indigenous influence on U.S. governance.

Fort Stanwix The 1784 Treaty of Fort Stanwix was the first treaty between the United States and the Haudenosaunee, recognizing land boundaries and sovereignty. Much of that land was later taken by New York State in direct violation of federal treaty law.

Canandaigua The 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, signed by George Washington, reaffirmed peace and friendship between the U.S. and the Haudenosaunee and guaranteed land rights that remain legally recognized but routinely violated.

Seneca Falls In 1848, the first women’s rights convention was held at Seneca Falls, where suffragists cited Haudenosaunee clan mothers as models of female political authority. The Erie Canal played a key role in spreading these ideas across the state.

Buffalo Creek The 1838 Treaty of Buffalo Creek resulted in major land cessions under coercive terms. Despite violating federal law and earlier agreements, the treaty facilitated settler expansion and the redistribution of Haudenosaunee land for profit.