In 1823, Joseph Smith claimed he was visited by an angel named “Moroni”, and this angel told him of an ancient record that contained God’s dealings. In 1827 Joseph got a hold this record inscribed in thin gold plates, and began to translate them. This resulted in the Book of Mormon, published in 1830. On April 6, 1830 Smith organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and became its 1st president. …show more content…
Mormons tended to settle in places in large amounts, which pissed some people off because of the economic competition those large numbers brought (Rise of land costs), and the fear of the Mormons taking political control. Not only this, but Missouri was a slave state, but Mormon beliefs were against slavery. The contrasting beliefs between Christians and non-mormons created a bunch of conflicts that would follow the Mormons anywhere they went. After an election riot, governor Lilburn Boggs said, “The Mormons should be exterminated, or driven from the state”. Some days later, the Missouri militia, along with the mob, attacked a Mormon settlement, killing 20 people. This became the known as “the massacre at Haun’s Mill”. After this event, the Mormons were booted out of …show more content…
The weather was harsh, wagons stopped working, people died due to the harsh weather, and the journey was a long one. In June 1846, the mormons reached an area (near what is now Omaha, Nebraska), that was known was the “Winter Quarters”. They would settle there until the next spring.
April 1847 a party of 25 wagons, under command of Youth, left the Winter Quarters and made their way to the Rocky Mountains. They made their own route on the north bank of the Platte River to avoid encounters with any other travelers. The Mormons didn’t stop, just kept going day and night. Until 111 days of travel later, they reached the Great Salt Lake, and Young declared it was “the right place”. Shortly after their arrival, another party with more than 1500 people and livestock was headed West. More than 60000 Mormons would make the journey to Utah.
Throughout history, there have always been conflicts between parties over religious or economic issues. Is it fair? Of course not, but that’s how it goes. The Mormons faced many obstacles before they could settle and establish their own community/safe haven. Religious persecution drove them out of Missouri and Illinois, and that led them to migrate to Salt Lake City, away from a hateful