In 1844, reeling from the murder of their founder and prophet, Joseph Smith, and facing continued mob violence in their settlement in Illinois, thousands of Latter Day Saints (better known as Mormons
Mormons
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity, initiated by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the Mormons followed Brigham Young to what woul…
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Why were the Mormons better equipped to settle the Great Plains?
Although the struggle for survival was difficult in the first years of settlement, the Mormons were better equipped by experience than many other groups to tame the harsh land. They had pioneered other settlements in the Midwest, and their communal religious faith underscored the necessity of cooperative effort.
How did the Mormons affect the development of Southern Nevada?
The mission the Mormons established as part of the Church's westward expansion out of Utah became the first non-native settlement in the area, and the Mormons hoped to bring the American Indians into their flock. Although the Mormons occupied the site only from 1855 to 1858, it affected the development of what was to become southern Nevada.
Why were the Mormons forced to move to Utah?
The Mormons, U.S. citizens, were driven from their homes and forced to march thousands of miles from Nauvoo, Illinois, located on the Mississippi River, to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. They were literally driven out of their own country, since Utah was then still part of Mexico.
Where will the Mormons settle?
July 24: A Mormon advance party including Young reaches the valley of the Great Salt Lake, and Brigham, who will be made church president later in the year, confirms that this is where the Mormons will settle, beyond the boundaries of the United States.
What difficulties did the Mormons face?
Organisation - on the journey 15,000 Mormons faced accidents, breakdowns, mouldy food, fever, lack of medical facilities, Native American attacks. Young taught Mormons how to manage a wagon train, and how to defend themselves against attack at night.
What was the Mormon settlement?
Young, and 148 Mormons, crossed into the Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. For the next two decades, wagon trains bearing thousands of Mormon immigrants followed Young's westward trail. By 1896, when Utah was granted statehood, the church had more than 250,000 members, most living in Utah.
What problems did the Mormons face when they settled at the Great Salt Lake?
The area surrounding the Great Salt Lake was a challenging place to live. It was difficult to grow crops on the land and there was little shelter from the blazing sun. Yet, despite these challenges, the Mormons were still able to build a fruitful settlement.
Where did the Mormons settle and why did they settle in that area?
They had embarked on a treacherous thousand-mile journey, looking for a new place to settle the "Promised Land." On July 24, 1847, an exhausted Brigham Young and his fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints arrived in Utah's Great Salt Lake Valley and called it home.
What state did the Mormons settle?
The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated beginning in the mid-1840s across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah.
Why did some people oppose the Mormons?
Residents resented the Mormons' growing power, feared the poverty of some recent arrivals would lead to "pauperism," and even worried that local Mormon converts would deed their property to the church rather than relatives.
What factors affected the settlement of California and Utah in the West?
What factors influenced westward expansion? Population growth in the eastern states, availability of cheap, fertile land, economic opportunity, gold, logging, farming, freedom for runaway slaves, and spreading manifest destiny.
Where did the Mormon settlers come from?
Among the early Mormon pioneers were many who emigrated from the British Isles before they affiliated with the Latter-day Saints. Others were among early converts of the LDS British Mission, established in 1837, who had emigrated to the Mormon city of Nauvoo, Illinois.
Why was the Mormon migration successful?
The Mormon Migration succeeded because: Young carefully planned the logistics, ensuring there was enough supplies to last the journey. Young consulted with trail guides to find the quickest and safest routes. He sent a 'Pioneer Band' of 150 men and 70 wagons to be the first to travel to the Great Salt Lake.
Why did the Mormons like the area they chose to settle in?
Settling in Utah They also wanted to settle in a place where there was no government to bother them. Young chose Utah and was one of the first Mormons to go there with a group of followers. As the church leader, he helped set up successful communities in Utah, where many Mormons still live today.
Why did Mormons settle Las Vegas?
On the Old Spanish Trail between New Mexico and California, the Las Vegas Valley was an oasis in the desert. The Mormons wanted to establish a halfway station in the valley for travelers between Salt Lake City and the Pacific Coast.
Was Las Vegas a Mormon settlement?
Mormons Built The First Permanent Settlement In Las Vegas Mormons erected the first permanent settlement in Las Vegas. In 1855, they were sent by Brigham Young to establish an outpost halfway between Mormon missions in San Bernardino and Southern California.
Where did the Mormon settlers come from?
Among the early Mormon pioneers were many who emigrated from the British Isles before they affiliated with the Latter-day Saints. Others were among early converts of the LDS British Mission, established in 1837, who had emigrated to the Mormon city of Nauvoo, Illinois.
Why was the Mormon migration important?
In June 1845 the leader of the Mormons, Joseph Smith, was murdered. Brigham Young became the new leader of the Mormons. Due to the hostility shown towards the Mormons, he decided they needed to move somewhere safer. Young decided to migrate to the Great Salt Lake, just south of the Oregon Trail.
How did Mormon settlement and the gold Rush lead to changes in the West?
How did Mormon settlement and the gold rush lead to changes in the West? People seeking religious freedom and gold greatly increased the area's population. In 1847, the new Mormon leader who led a party of Mormons on a long, hazardous journey to the valley of the Great Salt Lake.
Why did the Mormons settle in Utah?
Why the Mormons Settled in Utah. Young led the Mormons on their great trek westward through the wilderness some 1,300 miles to the Rocky Mountains—a rite of passage they saw as necessary in order to find their promised land. Young led the Mormons on their great trek westward through the wilderness some 1,300 miles to the Rocky Mountains—a rite ...
Why were Mormons drawn to the Salt Lake Valley?
Despite warnings about the region’s unsuitability for agriculture and the hostile Native Americans living near the smaller , freshwater Utah Lake, the Mormons were drawn to the low population of the Salt Lake Valley. And the mountains ringing the valley were stocked with freshwater streams and creeks that could nourish crops, despite the saltiness of the Great Salt Lake itself. “It didn’t seem to be wanted by any other white people,” Bowman says of Young’s chosen spot. “There was not a large Native American presence, but there was the potential for agriculture, and for supporting a large population.”
What was the Mormon practice of plural marriage?
Though Young eventually agreed to be replaced as territorial governor, the Mormon practice of plural marriage would delay Utah’s statehood for nearly four more decades. Congress began passing laws trying to get rid of polygamy (or bigamy, as it was then called) in the early 1860s.
How many Mormons were in Utah in 1896?
By 1896, when Utah was granted statehood, the church had more than 250,000 members, most living in Utah. Today, according to official LDS statistics, Utah is ...
How many miles did the Mormons trek through the wilderness?
Two years later, Young led the Mormons on their great trek westward through the wilderness some 1,300 miles to the Rocky Mountains—a rite of passage they saw as necessary in order to find their promised land. Young, and 148 Mormons, crossed into the Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. For the next two decades, wagon trains bearing thousands ...
Why all the hostility against Smith and his fellow Mormons?
“They tended to vote in blocs, they tended to consolidate all their economic activity within their own communities. These kinds of things generated suspicion from people around them.”
Where did the Mormons go in 1844?
In 1844, reeling from the murder of their founder and prophet, Joseph Smith, and facing continued mob violence in their settlement in Illinois, ...
Who received copyright for the Book of Mormon?
June: Smith, who has completed the translation at Peter Whitmer's farm in Fayette, New York, receives a copyright for The Book of Mormon. Eleven witnesses will later sign statements that they have seen the gold plates from which The Book of Mormon was translated; three of them, including Harris and Cowdery, further assert that they saw an angel bearing the plates.
What does Rigdon promise in his patriotic oration?
July 4: While giving a patriotic oration, Rigdon promises that Mormons will defend themselves and warns of a "war of extermination" with hostile neighbors.
How long did the Lamanites have peace with Christ?
Christ's appearance inaugurates a period of harmony with the Lamanites that lasts 200 years, but eventually the tribes fall into conflict again. 385 A.D. A Nephite prophet named Mormon has been writing the story of his people.
What is the first book of Smith's revelations?
The first collection of Smith's revelations is prepared for publication as The Book of Commandments.
How many revelations did Joseph Smith have?
One hundred thirty eight of Smith's revelations are published in a book called Doctrine and Covenants. Included among these are the sixty-five revelations published in The Book of Commandments, plus seven "Lectures on Faith" prepared by Joseph Smith, which are not described as revelations. 1836.
Where did the Smith family move to?
1816. Following a third straight year of crop failure, the Smith family moves to Palmyra, New York, a town of 4,000 situated near the planned route of the Erie Canal. Palmyra lies within an area known as the "Burned-over District" for the evangelical fervor of its residents. 1817.
When did Smith get the gold plates back?
September 22: Smith gets the gold plates and interpretation device back.
What were the hardships of the Mormons during the winter?
The winter was harsh in Winter Quarters and many were ill and near starving. The Saints suffered from malaria, pneumonia, and tuberculosis during the summer, and scurvy, and exposure in the winter. In early 1847, Brigham Young received a revelation on how to organize for the journey west. It counseled them to establish groups with captains and to build way stations along the route. It also commanded them to sing songs and dance when they were happy and to pray when they were sad. It was in Iowa that one Mormon pioneer, William Clayton, overjoyed to hear news that his wife had just given birth, wrote the famous song “Come, Come Ye Saints,” which the Mormons would sing as they crossed the plains.
Where did the Mormons go on their trek?
The Mormons, U.S. citizens, were driven from their homes and forced to march thousands of miles from Nauvoo , Illinois, located on the Mississippi River, to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. They were literally driven out of their own country, since Utah was then still part of Mexico. For many, the journey did not end there, as the Mormon Church continued to settle all the surrounding region, from Chihuahua, Mexico to Alberta, Canada.
How many men were in the Mormon battalion?
While in the Mormons resided in Council Bluffs, the United States Army approached Brigham Young. Ironically, while the government refused to defend or help the driven Mormons, they now requested 500 men to form a battalion for fighting in the U.S.-Mexican War. Though recognizing the irony of the situation and the trials that could result from sending the men, Brigham Young agreed, since the soldier’s pay would help the impoverished pioneers. The five hundred men of the Mormon Battalion left quickly. Brigham Young prophesied that they would not see battle, but would eventually rejoin their families safely in Utah. That prophesy came true, but only after the men, and a few women who refused to go on without their husbands, endured the longest infantry march in U.S. history . . . over 2,000 miles. Eventually they arrived in San Diego, where a monument still stands to them. Along the way, the only trouble they had was with a disrespectful captain assigned to watch them, sickness, which caused some to leave and go to Pueblo, Colorado, and a skirmish with some bison. The Mormon Battalion not only helped the Mormon pioneers, but also spurred the California Gold Rush of 1849, when several of the Battalion members found gold at Sutter’s Mill, while trying to earn enough money to go to Utah.
What was the name of the crickets that attacked the crops in Utah?
The next spring, Brigham Young and other companies returned to Utah. Crisis gripped the new colonists as swarms of crickets, later named Mormon crickets, attacked their crops in June 1848. After much prayer and fasting, flocks of seagulls arrived and ate all the crickets, disgorging them and then returning to eat more. The Mormon pioneers recognized this as a miracle. Later, a monument was erected to this event on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, and the seagull became the state bird.
Why did the Church use handcarts instead of wagons to cross the plains?
Eventually, to allow more settlers to come , the Church started having some pioneers use handcarts instead of wagons to cross the plains to Utah. Brigham Young surmised that the distance was walkable, and that those who could not afford wagons and teams could then make the trek.
What language was the Book of Mormon translated into?
The Book of Mormon was translated into every major European language, as well as Hawaiian , as the Mormon Church grew quickly in Hawaii, too. The Mormon Church started a newspaper, The Deseret News, and established churches, schools, and a government. In September of 1850, President Millard Fillmore named Brigham Young as territorial governor.
Where did the Mormons go when they left Nauvoo?
As the first Mormon pioneers left Nauvoo in February of 1846, another group of Mormons left New York City on board a ship called the Brooklyn, under the leadership of Samuel Brannan. They were bound for Yerba Buena (now San Francisco), in California, from where they would make the trek to Utah. The journey lasted six months.
What was the political life of the Latter Day Saints?
At first Latter-day Saints found political life in Arizona difficult. In Apache County, friction among Mexicans, ranchers, and traders escalated into fierce struggles by 1880. In 1884 David K. Udall and a few others were imprisoned for practicing plural marriage; many fled to Mexico. But after the manifesto was issued in 1890, two-party politics were embraced and Church members found a place in Arizona's political institutions.
Who settled in Arizona in 1921?
McClintock, James H. Mormon Settlement in Arizona: Record of Peaceful Conquest of the Desert. Phoenix, Ariz., 1921.
When did the Colorado River start to colonize?
In 1873 colonization began in earnest.
How did the Mormons come to Las Vegas?
1) To describe why the Mormons came to Las Vegas, what they hoped to accomplish, and what experiences they shared in establishing an outpost.#N#2) To list at least four factors--including the arrival of the Mormons--that influenced the stability and growth of the initial Las Vegas settlement into a permanent community and explain the importance of each to westward expansion.#N# 3) To describe the experience of Helen Stewart, one of the first non-native women inhabiting the Las Vegas Valley, and outline her contributions to the area.#N#4) To research and report on the history of local historic places that help tell the story of their own community's origins and development.
What was the purpose of the Mormon Fort in Las Vegas?
The mission was the first settlement in the part of the New Mexico Territory which would later become the southern end of the state of Nevada. The Mormons' purpose here was to raise crops which would not grow in the colder Utah climate, convert the local Indians to Mormonism and instruct them in farming and hygiene, build a fort and settlement, establish a halfway station for protecting travelers on the Mormon Road between the Pacific and Salt Lake City (to establish a base for trade along the trail), set up a post office, and explore the country . Each man was given 2 ½ acres of land plus ¼ acre for a garden.
Why did President Bringhurst preach?
President Bringhurst often engaged in fiery preaching to improve the morale and performance of the men. Discontent grew not only over Bringhurst's harsh leadership as he punished the men for minor offenses, but also from the men's desires to be with their own families and continued misunderstandings between the Mormons and the Paiutes regarding individual and group property rights. Eleven missionaries secured permission to return to Utah on November 8, 1855. Others, also, would make trips back and forth from Las Vegas to Salt Lake at various times.
Where is the Old Mormon Fort?
The Old Mormon Fort: Birthplace of Las Vegas, Nevada (Teaching with Historic Places) The company paraded at the dawn of day and fired a salute very spiritedly; also at sun-up and again when the liberty pole was erected and the flag floated majestically to the breeze, another salute was fired the company having previously assembled, ...
Who was the first Mormon missionary to arrive at Las Vegas?
John Steele , one of the first of the Mormon Missionaries to arrive at what became the "Las Vegas Mission," wrote the above in his journal to recount the activities of the first Independence Day celebrations in 1855.
Why did the pioneers serve lunch in the Dutch oven?
All of this was done to honor the memory of the many faces that contributed to the history of the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort, and promote its legacy in hopes of preserving it for future generations.
