THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (LDS CHRUCH) Few Americans know that the Mormon Church began in the Eastern United States in New York State. Not Here! Here!
JOSEPH SMITH WAS THE FOUNDER AND FIRST LEADER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (LDS CHURCH) Joseph Smith s claim of being a prophet began a New American religion that eventually left the Eastern U.S. and settled in the Salt Lake Valley. 1820 (age 14) Claimed his First Vision 1823 (age 17) Claimed to find gold plates with religious writings on them near his home from an angel named Moroni 1830 (age 24) Published the Book of Mormon as the translation of those gold plates 1830 (age 24) Started the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the group began to call themselves Saints enemies began calling them Mormons
PERSECUTIONS COME EARLY THE LDS CHURCH WAS SOON FORCED TO MOVE FROM NEW YORK Beliefs were the main reason. For example: Joseph Smith s claims of seeing God Joseph Smith s claims of being a prophet Mormons claimed that this was the only true church New members often broke ties with family and friends
Kirtland, Ohio The LDS Church Grows The Church organization was formed here Joseph Smith was the 1 st President Twelve Apostles were chosen as helpers to the President Local leaders were created they were called bishops The first LDS temple was dedicated here on March 27, 1831
Kirtland, Ohio A world-wide missionary system was developed where members were sent to foreign countries to teach and convert people to the LDS Church. Most sent to the United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland The LDS Church Grows North Atlantic Ocean ICELAND United Kingdom Norwegian Sea NORWAY Scandinavia SWEDEN Gulf of Bothnia FINLAND ESTONIA RUSSIA North And Scandinavia Sweden Norway Denmark Iceland (Finland) PORTUGAL Sea LATVIA DENMARK Baltic IRELAND Sea LITHUANIA U. K. NETH. BYELARUS GERMANY POLAND BELGIUM English Channel LUX. CZECH SLOVAKIA MOLDOVA FRANCE AUSTRIA SWITZERLAND HUNGARY ROMANIA Bay of Biscay SLOVENIA CROATIA BOSNIA SERBIA BULGARIA ANDORRA MONTENEGRO ITALY MACEDONIA Adriatic SPAIN Tyrrhenian ALBANIA Sea Aegean GREECE Ionian Mediterranean Sea Sea UKRAINE Black Sea TURKEY CYPRUS
Kirtland, Ohio Unfortunately, the members of the LDS church had to migrate once again, because of the following: The LDS religious beliefs continued to bring ridicule. As the LDS church continued to grow more of the members began to gather together and in some communities began to outnumber non-members this made non-members nervous On to Independence, Missouri!
Reasons for Missouri Persecution Mormon Attitudes and Beliefs Were Different: OSlavery OMissourians O a slave state north of the Mason-Dixon Line O Most of the people were in favor of slavery OMost Mormons O New Englanders who opposed slavery OImmigrants O Missourians did not like Immigrants O Mormons brought many foreign converts from Western Europe
Reasons for Missouri Persecution Mormon Attitudes and Beliefs Were Different: O Community O Missourians worked as individual families and small towns O Mormons built successful large communities and stuck together to avoid fights OPolitics O Missourians voted for slavery and local control O Missourians made political promises that were not kept O Mormons didn t trust local politicians O Mormons voted as a block (most Mormons voted for the same politicians)
October 27, 1838 Gov. Boggs issued an Extermination Order to have the state army: Arrest top LDS leaders Force all Mormons out of the state or Kill all who resist or stay behind Not officially ended until June 25, 1976! Missouri finally apologized 1991! October 30, 1838 Haun s Mill Massacre 17 LDS men and boys killed
Winter of I838 Joseph Smith is arrested and sent to Liberty Jail Brigham Young became the temporary Church leader Thousands of Mormons left Missouri in the winter They traveled northeast to Western Illinois They didn t want to go further west! Missouri was on the western U.S. Border Going west would take them outside the U.S. They were still loyal to the U.S.!
Nauvoo, Illinois A city made from a swampy bend of the Mississippi River. The land was cheap No one else wanted the swamp The small nearby towns of Quincy and Commerce welcomed them Nauvoo became one of the two largest cities in Illinois. Bigger than Chicago at the time! General peace for almost 5 years Smith and family were able to rest
Nauvoo was well planned Big square blocks just like Salt Lake City Temple in the center of town just like Salt Lake City Businesses and Churches in the center of town just like Salt Lake City Homes built around the downtown just like Salt Lake City Farms on the outskirts of towns +100 s of acres in Iowa just like Salt Lake City
Problems Develop In Illinois The Nauvoo Charter Smith asked the state for special rights because of past treatment to his church members The state let Nauvoo have extra rights in their charter The government would be run more by church leaders than nonchurch leaders Smith became both mayor and general of the local militia (army) All of this made surrounding towns nervous
Problems Develop In Illinois The Nauvoo Legion The city had own militia (army) 3,000 men at its greatest Almost as large as the U.S. Army at the time All men 18 and over were expected to join Smith was the military leader Only used as a defense and ceremonial group used to scare enemies
Problems Develop In Illinois Politics Non-Mormons saw Mormons as a great resource because they often voted together as a group Mormons used their size (number of voters) to try to get politicians to support their ideas Finally, all political parties in Illinois saw the Mormons as a threat and decided to find ways to kick them out of Illinois.
Problems Develop In Illinois Politics Joseph Smith became tired of the lack of support from the government for him or his people He ran for President of the United States in 1844 Smith and his brother were killed before the November election, so his name was not on the ballot James K. Polk became President of the United States in 1844 Polk helped start the Mexican War to take over western America This war led to the Mormon Battalion and Utah becoming a U.S. Territory
Problems Develop In Illinois Polygamy The belief that a man can have more than one wife at the same time Because of persecution, the teaching was kept private at first, and was only practiced by a very few members Some Church members disagreed, left the Church, became enemies, and spread the word to others
The Final Blow Destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor An anti-mormon newspaper printed near Nauvoo by enemies Mayor Smith ordered the city council to send police to destroy the press Smith said the paper threatened public safety The press was wrecked, type destroyed, and papers ruined after only one printing Smith s enemies now felt they had a reason to arrest him
Carthage Jail, Illinois Gov. Ford of Illinois promised Smith safety if he would appear for his freedom of the press trial. Privately, the Governor promised no protection Smith didn t believe the governor, but his friends convinced him to leave Nauvoo and go to the nearby town of Carthage The guards that were sent to protect him became part of the mob outside the jail in Carthage that attacked on June 27, 1844
MOB ATTACK! June 27, 1844 a mob of 150 men attacked Carthage Jail where Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, John Taylor and Willard Richards were being held before the freedom of the press trial The mob stormed the jail and broke into the second floor room where the men were being held and began firing their weapons John Taylor was badly wounded and Willard Richards was not severely injured Joseph and Hyrum Smith were both killed
After the Death of Joseph Smith The New York Times declared: Joe Smith Dead: The End of Mormonism Actual poster cheering Joseph Smith s death The New York Herald predicted: "The death of the modern mahomet (Mohammed) will seal the fate of Mormonism. They cannot get another Joe Smith. Following the killing of their leader, the Mormons decided that it was time to move again, and this time they would travel a lot further west.
WINTER QUARTERS Following the death of Joseph Smith a man named Brigham Young was made the new leader of the LDS church. Young s plan was to move the Mormons west out of Nauvoo and across Iowa in the Spring of 1846. However, their journey was delayed and it was too late in the season for them to begin their journey. Young and the Mormons needed to find place to winter before continuing west. Young decided on a place in Nebraska on the west bank of the Missouri River, which would be known as Winter Quarters. The term "winter quarters," was often used by trappers and explorers to describe a place of refuge from the hazards of winter.
WINTER QUARTERS Winter Quarters became center for planning, regrouping, preparing for the Mormon s journey west. The LDS Church leaders began to plan and gather supplies for their future journey west as they waited out the winter. Winter Quarters housed almost 4,000 Latter-day Saints by December 1846. For the next two years, the name was also loosely applied to much smaller settlements on the Missouri River's east bank, which was home to another 8,000 LDS immigrants.
WINTER QUARTERS Unfortunately, Winter Quarters was not a place where the Mormons were able to leave tragedy and troubles behind. Some 2,000 Mormons died in Winter Quarters between June 1846 and October 1848. The high death rate was due large storms, scarce supplies, malaria (a disease that is spread by mosquitos which are common on the banks of rivers), inadequate shelters, and the weakened condition of the refugees driven out of Nauvoo without proper supplies. Winter Quarters was the last stop before the trail to the west began for the Mormons.