The Causes And Reasons Of Joseph Smith And The Mormonism

After its founder’s assassination ■ (Joseph Smith Jr. in June 1844) and facing harassment by their neighbors, the Church of Latter-Day Saints knew it needed to move its headquarters from Nauvoo [Illinois]. With several factions competing for the Church’s control, the faithful debated possible destinations, including Oregon, Vancouver Island, Texas, and México’s Alta California province. In February 1846, with Apostle Orson Pratt’s backing, Samuel Brannan (1819–1889) led 238 stalwarts and set sail for Alta California aboard the 404-ton Brooklyn. Brannan hoped to pave the path for the Church’s eventual overland exodus.

According to the Textbook “Church membership grew rapidly, but certain beliefs and practices caused Mormons to be persecuted. The Illinois community collapsed after an anti-Mormon mob murdered Smith in 1844. This proves my point because it shows that before they moved to the West, they were being persecuted. Following Smith’s murder, Brigham Young became head of the Mormon Church. Young chose what is now Utah as the group’s new home, and thousands of Mormons took the Mormon Trail to the area near the Great Salt Lake, where they prospered.

He provided a good example due to the Market Revolution in the early 1800s. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, or Mormonism, created another model of a religious utopia (Keene, 301). Smith grew up in western New York, where the fires of the Great Awakening burned hot. In Smith’s Christian Religion environment, had a revelation on which Mormonism was based (Keene, 301). The Book of Mormon was published in Palmyra, New York, in 1830 and this town became the site of one of the earliest Mormon communities (Keene 301). Smith was influenced by the widespread belief that the millennium was at hand, bringing with it an end to debt and the return of Christ and a new era of peace, happiness, and prosperity. Smith’s revelations detail struck a resonant chord with small farmers and etc whose experience with the expanding market economy had been largely negative (Keene 301). The revelation attracted thousands of followers. Joseph Smith members were popularly known as Mormons. With the exception of the first generation of Mormon converts, American society does not seem to have been receptive to him; they were pushed from one location to another, and eventually after Smith’s assassination, they moved to Utah. Prior to their exodus the Mormons endured a long period of internal dissension and harassment by their non-Mormon

First it is important to know why the Mormons decided to move west after they were forced to leave Nauvoo.

In 1846 a society of pioneers went West searching for a golden paradise. These people were Mormons or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints. On the way to their new home, they made people mad. Lots of people didn’t like the Mormons’ ways. Most people resented them for the popularity the religion was getting. People turned to violence and attacked them. As a matter of fact their leader, Joseph Smith, died on his way to their promise land in the West. As a result of the resentment toward them, the Mormons settled in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a barren place in a valley surrounded by mountains. Nonetheless, no one would come and try to settle or attack them there. The resentment caused Mormons to come up with no ways to live. Controlling their freedom to liberty, the people who did no like their actions were again being hypocritical. Once the colonists fled England to start a new, better life with religions freedom. It was one of the very ideals our country was built on. However the self-righteousness of our country during this was growing, spreading like a

The Mormons were a group of people that believed in God in a different way than the way most God believing people did at that time. That is what caused them to want to move west. They started moving west in 1846 because, in Missouri Ohio, they would get persecuted for their beliefs.

Smith was sent to jail and was later killed by a mob of Non Mormons.

On April 6, 1980, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka the Mormon Church) was founded. [It is interesting to note that according to Mormon doctrine (Doctrine and Covenants 20:1), April 6 is the birthday of Jesus Christ.] 10 years prior to this event, in 1820, fourteen-year-old Joseph Smith

Walker, Turley, and Leonard explain the reasons for high tension in Utah a different way. Instead of focusing about problems with the church like Denton, they explain about things happening around the church. They focus on how news of a coming U.S. army puts fear in the people. They quote Heber C. Kimball as saying “that the army wanted to take Mormon women back to the States” (Walker, Turley, Leonard 44). Also, the authors describe how Brigham Young also makes it seem like the second coming, where Christ comes to destroy the wicked, is near and that the people need to prepare for it. They also mention Brigham Young’s strict war policy. Within this war policy, they were to be frugal with all their supplies, and not sell or trade any of it to those of

Two of these denominations were the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the African Methodist Episcopal. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - commonly known as Mormons was founded by Joseph Smith; he was inspired to create a new church faction by the revivals he experienced in the western area of New York called the "Burned Over District-" implying it had been "scorched" by so many revivals. Although not regarded as a splinter off from an existing Protestant denomination but a restoration of primitive Christianity having distinctive post-biblical doctrines, the Mormon Church is now a flourishing, worldwide denomination. On the other hand, during the revivals, Baptists and Methodists converted large numbers of blacks. However, because of the mistreatment they received from their fellow believers, under the leadership of Richard Allen, the black population broke away from the Methodist church while creating their own denomination; the African Methodist Episcopal.10 Both churches mentioned above, having developed and sprouted out other denominations over the years, still stand even today.

One of the most influential leaders in America during the 1800’s was known for his religion, and his name was Brigham Young. Young was born June 1st 1801. He was the 9th out of 11 kids, to John Young and Abigail Young. Brigham Young was a huge factor in the Mormon westward movement. IF not the main reason. Young started his career as a carpenter and a painter. He was shortly introduced to the Mormon religion soon after it had appeared. He was baptized a member of the church in 1832 and became an Apostle in 1835. He was a dedicated disciple of the Lord. After Joseph Smith was murdered in 1844 Young was selected to be the leader of the Mormons. Brigham Young consisted of 3 leadership traits which were, an organizer, an establisher,

Mormons Moving to Salt Lake City During the nineteenth century there were many different types of people moving west over America. One of these groups was the religious group, the Mormons. The religion was originally founded by Joseph Smith in the early nineteenth century. He first started of with very few followers but quickly many people started to come round to Smiths way of thinking. After developing the religion in Palmyra, Joseph Smith and his followers moved to Kirtland.

During the Second Great Awakening many Americans were stirred by passionate religious movements and Mormonism was one of them. Although it initially began as a revelation given to Joseph Smith, his strong beliefs led to powerful revivals in the New York area that drew people from across the northeast. Despite strong interest and numerous converters to the faith, the Mormon community would not remain in the New York area for long. Though they had an objective of spreading Mormonism throughout America and other parts of the world, this was only part of the reason for their move west. Religious persecution, government issues, spiritual revelation, financial problems, and land disputes ultimately led to their decision to settle in Utah.

Mormonism and the history behind it often leads to the name Joseph Smith. Smith was a man known to be living in western NewYork which is where he encountered God and his son Jesus Christ. Smith, only fourteen years old was conflicted with choosing the right religion and was advised to avoid Christian churches. Not more than three years later, Smith was again approached by someone named Moroni – a visitor from heaven. Moroni explained that he, the last Prophet descended from Lehi’s civilization. Smith was directed to find gold plates engraved with the history of the last prophet of his civilization.