According to Iroquois tradition, the five tribes were locked in inter-tribal strife and constant warfare. A prophet known as Deganawida or the Great Peacemaker, visited the tribes from across the Great Lakes. He won the confidence of Hiawatha, a noted Mohawk or Onondaga war leader, and a prominent clan mother known as Jigonhsasee. Their access to other leader soon gained wide adherence to Deganawida's message among members of the five tribes. But there were skeptics, and some among the tribes were more apt to continue their old ways of settling disputes through war. Divisions arose, particularly among the Seneca, who were the last to join the Confederacy. During a battle, a phenomenon occurred, which observers took to be a sign of support to peace over war. Though it isn't specified exactly what happened, some sources believe the happening was a total or partial solar eclipse. The five tribes gathered, buried their war implements and agreed to the Great Law of Peace, known today as the Iroquois Constitution.
So when was this eclipse and were other factors at work in bringing the tribes together. Some sources indicate that the advent of agriculture may have been another factor making the people of the various tribes more receptive to peace. Since the Iroquois tribes were allied under their Constitution prior to European contact, no one factor can be singled out as the one that tipped the scales. However, if a solar eclipse was involved, it may be the one that happened in August, 1142, where the junction of the sun and moon would have been visible in what is now New York. At that point in history, the Song Dynasty ruled what is now China and England was immersed in a period known as the Anarchy, when two factions of the Norman dynasty battled for control of the throne. Ironically, while England was tearing itself apart in civil war, five North American tribes were embarking on a new period of peace and prosperity.
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