Final answer:
Smaller groups within the Iroquois and Algonquin tribes made political decisions through councils led by sachems and chiefs, emphasizing consensus and familial lineage. The Iroquois Confederacy was highly organized, while Plains groups distinguished between peace and war chiefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Within the Iroquois and Algonquin tribes, political decisions were often made by smaller groups led by respected leaders known as sachems and chiefs. In the case of the Iroquois, or Haudenosaunee, political structure was highly organized into a confederacy, with a council composed of fifty sachems representing different familial lineages from the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations. These councils relied on a consensus-driven approach, where decisions were passed down through families.
For the Plains groups, including those within the Algonquin tribes, there was a separation of responsibilities between peace chiefs and war chiefs, with the former more often being elders with extensive experience in governance. These leaders were part of decision-making councils and maintained stability through negotiations and consensus-building with community elders and neighboring societies. Moreover, the establishment of alliances with European colonists, as seen during conflicts such as the American Revolution, influenced the political dynamics within these native confederacies.