Eastern woodland tribes formed alliances in order to protect their land, resources, and culture from outsiders. Their most famous alliance was the Iroquois Confederacy—also known as the League of Five Nations—which was formed by the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca tribes. The Iroquois Confederacy is considered the first democratic government in the Americas and served as a model for the Founding Fathers of the United States.