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Show 1 172 BASIS OF AMERICAN HISTORY [ 1700 and a fresh start was undertaken by all the members of the tribe. There is much in the Creek organization that suggests the Iroquois, but there are also very marked dissimilarities. In the social order of the Iroquois the woman held a conspicuous and honorable position; among the Creek, in spite of strict maternal inheritance, her individual position was subordinate. She was not allowed to participate, except in a most modest manner, in the busk, nor was she permitted to be present at the councils. Her occupations were, in general, the household duties assigned to her sex among all Indian tribes. The union of these numerous Creek villages or tribes for purposes of defence is usually called the Creek confederacy, but its structure was extremely loose as compared with the systematic working out of the Iroquois League. Each village remained strictly independent even when war had been determined upon; and not only each village but each individual was free to go upon the war- path or not as he elected. An interesting fact regarding the procedure of these villages was the authority of the civil council in initiating military measures either of aggression or defence. The warriors were not members of the council, though the great warrior sat as a consulting officer. In spite, however, of a decision of the council in favor of peace, the great warrior might persist in " raising his hatchet" against an offending |