The Great Law of Peace is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on the purposes of the Haudenosaunee Great Law, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Civ.3.3-5. It prints 6 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
Read the text and answer the questions. Then choose the best answers.
1.Look at the source, then answer the questions.
The Great Law of Peace
An information text written for this worksheet. The Great Law is an oral tradition, passed down by speaking, so this text retells some of its main ideas rather than quoting it.
The Haudenosaunee, also called the Iroquois, are nations whose homelands are in what is now New York State and nearby lands.
Haudenosaunee tradition tells that long ago their five nations were often at war with one another.
A man known as the Peacemaker, helped by a leader named Hiawatha, carried a message of peace from nation to nation.
The nations agreed to the Great Law of Peace. It set up a Grand Council, where chiefs from every nation meet to decide matters they share.
Under the Great Law, decisions are talked over until the chiefs agree. Clan mothers choose the chiefs and can remove a chief who does not serve the people well.
The symbol of the Great Law is a white pine, the Tree of Peace. Its roots spread in four directions so that other peoples could follow them to peace.
The Haudenosaunee still follow the Great Law today.
1. How is deciding by agreement different from deciding by a majority vote?
2. Why does the provenance line say the text retells the Great Law rather than quoting it?
3. What was the purpose of the Grand Council?
4. Why do you think the roots of the Tree of Peace spread in four directions?
2.Why was the Great Law first remembered by speaking rather than in writing?
A.It is an oral tradition passed from speaker to speaker
B.Paper was against the law
C.It was written in Spanish
3.The US Constitution also sets up a body of lawmakers from every state. What is it called?
A.The Grand Council
B.The clan mothers
C.Congress
4.Which is a purpose of almost every law, including the Great Law?
A.To punish people whatever they do
B.To make sure people never meet
C.To help people live together peacefully
5.Which word means a union of nations that keep some of their own powers?
A.Kingdom
B.Colony
C.Confederacy
6.Why might a rule say every nation must agree before the council acts?
A.So the council can act without talking
B.So smaller nations are not forced into decisions
C.So one nation decides for all
LessonPrint · D2.Civ.3.3-5 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — The Great Law of Peace
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.1. Every chief must agree, so no nation is simply outvoted. 2. Because the Great Law is an oral tradition, passed down by speaking. 3. For chiefs from every nation to meet and decide matters they share. 4. To show that other peoples were welcome to follow them to peace.
2.It is an oral tradition passed from speaker to speaker
3.Congress
4.To help people live together peacefully
5.Confederacy
6.So smaller nations are not forced into decisions
Questions about The Great Law of Peace
What does the The Great Law of Peace worksheet cover?
It practices the purposes of the Haudenosaunee Great Law — 6 questions for Grade 3 to Grade 5, all on C3 Framework D2.Civ.3.3-5: Look at where rules, laws and key parts of the US Constitution came from. The instruction to students is “Read the text and answer the questions. Then choose the best answers”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which C3 Framework indicator does The Great Law of Peace practice?
D2.Civ.3.3-5, under Civics for Grade 3 to Grade 5. The published indicator reads: “Examine the origins and purposes of rules, laws, and key U.S. constitutional provisions.” The worksheet assesses that indicator rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
The Great Law of Peace is written for Grade 3 to Grade 5, typically ages 40-41. It is one of the sheets on D2.Civ.3.3-5, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does The Great Law of Peace come with an answer key?
Yes. All 6 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of The Great Law of Peace can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is The Great Law of Peace free to print and photocopy?
Yes. The Great Law of Peace, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for D2.Civ.3.3-5
Look at where rules, laws and key parts of the US Constitution came from.