State Historical Society of Iowa

Constitution and Bylaws of the Sac and Fox Tribes in Iowa, December 20, 1937

 Download PDF Resource

Courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, 20 December 1937

Description

After the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, the Meskwaki people established their own constitution in 1937. It is the foundational document that still governs the law of the tribe today. The preamble states, "We, the Meskawki Indians, enrolled members of the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, hereinafter referred to as the Sac and Fox Tribe in Iowa, now living on the Sac and Fox Settlement located near Tama, Tama County, Iowa in order that we may perpetuate our ancient tribal affairs, transact tribal business, and promote our own and our posterity's social, economic, educational, and general welfare, with the guidance of Providence, do hereby organize ourselves into one body and adopt this Constitution as the basis of our community self-government." Creating their own constitution was one of the major factors that allowed the tribe to successfully remove federal trusteeship after their request was denied in 1928.

Full Transcript of the Sac and Fox Tribes Constitution

Transcribed Excerpt from the Sac and Fox Tribes Constitution

Source Dependent Questions

  • What powers were outlined in the constitution for the Tribal Council? How could those powers be superseded by the federal government?
  • Based on this source, how effective do you think New Deal Programs were at providing relief for indigenous people in the early stages of the Great Depression? Consider other sources in this set, did the situation improve? Why or why not?

Citation Information