Question

Read the passage.

We place you upon those seats, spread soft with the feathery down of the globe thistle, there beneath the shade of the spreading branches of the Tree of Peace. There shall you sit and watch the council fire of the confederacy of the Five Nations, and all the affairs of the Five Nations shall be transacted at this place before you. Roots have spread out from the Tree of the Great Peace, one to the north, one to the east, one to the south and one to the west. The name of these roots is the Great White Roots and their nature is peace and strength. . . .
In the Iroquois Constitution, what do the branches symbolize?


(A) protection

(B) connection

(C) strength

Answer 1

Here is my best evaluation from what I'm understanding of the passage....

(A.) Protection

Although it does not directly say the branches stand for protection, we can infer this to be true. The words "beneath the shade of the spreading branches of the Tree of Peace," show the safety that connection has brought the tribe. It is the coming together that has allowed for the growth of these "branches" and the further developement of peace. Given the relevance of connection in the passage, it's easy to think (B.) would be the answer. To see why the answer is (A.), the reader must recognize the fact that this tree may have come from connection, but it's branches represent the peace and protection that resulted from it.