Final answer:
Congress summoned the Iroquois to Fort Stanwix in 1784 to resolve territorial disputes following the American Revolution. This meeting led to the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, focusing on land settlement rather than trade agreements or military alliances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Congress summoned the Iroquois to Fort Stanwix in 1784 primarily to resolve territorial disputes that arose after the American Revolution. The negotiations aimed to address the lands that the Iroquois had controlled, as their allegiance during the war had divided, with some nations within the Iroquois Confederacy siding with the British while others sided with the Americans. This led to a significant post-war negotiation, where the newly formed United States needed to establish peace with the native nations and also assert its territorial claims.
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix, which emerged from these negotiations, was largely about resettling the terms of peace and territory rather than forming a military alliance or discussing trade agreements explicitly. While trade relations were a persistent background concern due to the presence of the fur trade and economic interests, the primary purpose of this treaty was the settlement of land conflicts. The Iroquois were an influential force in the region, and their lands and loyalties had been a point of contention throughout the colonial wars and during the American Revolution.
Although the meeting at Fort Stanwix was underlined by the desire to maintain peace on the frontiers, it also reflected the complex and evolving relationships between Native Americans, European powers, and the American government, continuing the history of often tense and dynamic diplomatic engagements.