Slide 1
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Their Faces Toward Hope: The Long
Journey to Utah
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Chapter 5
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Slide 2
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The Mood
• There was much interest in religion in the wooded rolling hills
region of western New York State. Preachers held tent
meetings in the evenings, trying to convert people who were
searching for religion.
• At the same time other people were trying to find something
else – land on the American frontier to begin a new life. As the
United States spread its borders westward, many pioneers
traveled in wagons to Oregon and California. Looking for a
shortcut, the Donner Party passed through Utah, but met
tragedy when they tried to cross California’s Sierra Nevadas in
the winter.
• The Mormon pioneers also went west, looking for a land that
other new settlers did not want. The trail they followed soon
became known as the “Mormon Trail,” a long road that brought
tens of thousands of people to Utah.
Slide 3
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Timeline
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1830 – (April 6) Joseph Smith organizes the Church of Christ, later renamed The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in New York State.
1831 – Mormons gather in Kirtland, Ohio and Jackson County, Missouri.
1838 – Mormons leave Ohio and make headquarters in Missouri.
1839 – Missouri state officials expel the Mormons. They move to Illinois and build the
city of Nauvoo.
1844 – Joseph and Hyrum Smith are murdered at Carthage, Illinois. Brigham Young leads
the LDS Church.
1846 – Mormons leave Nauvoo and 10,000 gather in Iowa and Nebraska. Mexican War
begins. Mormon Battalion begins trek to California.
1847 – (April 14) Brigham Young’s advance company departs from Winter Quarters.
1847 – (July 21) Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow enter the valley of the Great Salt Lake.
1847 - (July 24) Brigham Young enters the valley.
1847 – (August 8) Brigham Young and others return to Winter Quarters.
1848 – Thousands of pioneers from Winter Quarters make the trek to Utah. Mexican war
ends.
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Slide 4
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Who Were The Mormons?
• “Mormon” was a nickname given to those people
who followed Joseph Smith & his teachings
– Called Mormons because they believed in the Book of
Mormon
• They believed the Book of Mormon to equal to the Bible
• Non-believers called them Mormon as an insult to show that they
did not follow Jesus Christ but Mormon
– Joseph Smith said he had translated the Book of Mormon
from gold plates that he had found buried in a hill called
Cumorah near his home
– He claimed an angel named Moroni told him where to find
them
Slide 5
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Official Organization
• In New York, Joseph Smith organized the Church of
Christ on April 6, 1830
• Later, the name changed to The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• Today the church is sometimes
nicknamed the Mormons or
LDS Church.
– During the pioneer era, the people
called themselves “Saints.”
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• Founder Joseph Smith Jr.
Slide 6
Publishing the Book of Mormon
• Egbert B. Grandin Printing Press in Palmyra, NY
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Slide 7
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Joseph Smith
• Born December 23, 1805 in Sharon, Vermont
• Later, Joseph and his family moved to Palmyra, New York
• At age 14, in 1820, Joseph Smith said that he had a vision
and saw God and Jesus Christ
• Over a period of years he claimed to have received visits
from heavenly beings who instructed him
• He asked his followers to gather to “a gathering place” or
“Zion”
• Many converted to Mormonism, others did not believe,
and some persecuted the Mormons for their beliefs
• Because of persecution, the Mormons were often on the
move
Slide 8
Depiction of Joseph Smith’s First Vision
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• The “Sacred Grove” by Joseph Smith’s
Home in Palmyra, New York
Slide 9
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Smith Home in New York
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Slide 10
Leaving New York
• Kirtland, Ohio
– The “Saints,” due to persecution in Palmyra and other areas in New
York, head to Ohio and built a city and temple in Kirtland (1830)
– The Kirtland Bank goes bankrupt
• Independence, Missouri
– Soon after, another gathering place was sought in Missouri, specifically
in Independence (1831)
– Mormons were anti-slavery in a pro-slavery state
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• In both places, persecutions arose and the people once again had
to look to a distant place for peace and freedom of religion.
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• Governor Lilburn Boggs issues an Extermination Order on
October 27th 1838
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– Missouri Executive Order #44
– The Mormons had to leave Missouri or die. Top Mormon leaders were
arrested. Smith goes to Liberty Jail.
• 30 October 1838: Haun’s Mill Massacre – 17 Mormons killed
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– Missouri Executive Order #44 was rescinded in 1976
Slide 11
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Kirtland, Ohio
• Newell K. Whitney Store
– Joseph & Emma Smith lived here for a while
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• Where Joseph Smith got the Word of Wisdom
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Slide 12
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On to Illinois
• The “Saints” moved once again. This time to a
swampy area in Commerce, Illinois where Joseph
Smith was able to purchase a lot of unwanted, cheap
land after his release from Liberty Jail.
• Smith renamed Commerce, calling the new settlement
Nauvoo
– Hebrew word meaning “beautiful”
– They drained the swamps, built homes, and planted crops
• Nauvoo became the largest city in Illinois at the time
• The Mormons experienced peace in Nauvoo for several
years
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Slide 13
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
– A charter is the blue print on how you are going to run something
• The government would be run more by church leaders than non-church
leaders
• Smith became both mayor and general of the local militia (army)
• Made surrounding towns nervous
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Slide 14
Nauvoo Legion
• The city had its own militia (army)
– 3,000 men at its greatest
• Almost as large as the U.S. Army at the time
– Had uniforms, some weapons and parades
– All men 18 and over were expected to join
– Smith was the military leader (Lt. General)
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– Only used as a defense and ceremonial group used to scare enemies
• Enemies became more scared
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Slide 15
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Smith Runs for President
• Joseph Smith petitioned the
government’s help several
times with no avail.
• In 1844, he runs for President
of the United States
• Running mate for Vice
President was Sidney Rigdon
• He was murdered before the
vote
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Slide 16
The Peace Ends
• In Nauvoo the Mormon population continued to grow
• Former Mormons, or apostates, as well as non-Mormons
did not like how Nauvoo was being run
• A group of men started the Nauvoo Expositor,
– An anti-Mormon Newspaper
– They printed falsehoods about the Mormons
• Smith ordered the destruction of the press
– He was the mayor of Nauvoo and general of the Nauvoo Legion
• Joseph and his brother Hyrum were arrested for taking such actions
• Joseph and Hyrum were taken to jail in the city of Carthage
– John Taylor and Willard Richards went along to comfort the Smith brothers
• On June 27, 1844, a mob attacked the prison
– Killing Joseph and Hyrum
– Wounding John Taylor
– Willard Richards was unharmed
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• Joseph and Hyrum became martyrs
– Unjustly killed for their religion
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Carthage Jail
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Slide 18
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John Taylor & Willard Richards
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Slide 19
Some thought that with the death of Joseph
Smith, the Mormon Religion would end
• The New York Times declared:
“Joe Smith Dead: The End of
Mormonism”
• Actual poster cheering
Joseph Smith’ 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. The holy city
must tumble into ruins, and the
'latter-day saints' have indeed come
to the latter day.”
Slide 20
Why were Mormons persecuted?
• Beliefs
– Modern Revelation
– Book of Mormon
– Polygamy
• Politics
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– Voted together
• Community
– Worked together
• Slavery
– Against slavery
• Land
– Pooled money to buy large areas of land
• Indians
– Preached to and baptized Indians
• Immigrants
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– Converted them and brought them to the United States
Slide 21
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Leaving Nauvoo
• Brigham Young becomes the acting
leader after Joseph Smith’s death
– Three years later, he officially became the President
• Young had read John C. Fremont’s book
– He also read Alex Humbolt’s book (Dominquez & Escalante’s journal)
• In 1846-47, he felt that it was time to make an exodus again
– Became one of the worst winters in history
• Donner Party became trapped in the Sierra Mountains
– Two temporary settlements emerged
on each side of the Missouri River:
• Kanesville, Iowa
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– Also called Council Bluffs
• Winter Quarters, Nebraska
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Slide 22
Brigham Young
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• Before Salt Lake City
• Grew a beard as a sign that the Saints
had made it to Zion (Salt Lake City)
Slide 23
Western Trails
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Slide 24
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Mormon Migration Along the Mormon Trail
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Slide 25
The Advanced Party
• The first group, involving some 148
people left Winter Quarters, Nebraska Territory
– 143 men (two slaves)
– 3 women
– 2 children
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• Some in the party got sick, so they broke into two groups
– Brigham got sick and was helped by Green Flake a slave
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• The healthy party arrived into Utah on July 22, 1847
– Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow had been sent ahead as scouts
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First Mormons to set foot in their new home
– They immediately started to dam the rivers and plant crops
– Some wanted to keep going to California
• The sick party arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847
– Brigham Young told those that wanted to go to California that “This is the right
place”
– They traveled approximately 1,000 miles
– Did you already know that this was the reason Utah has a 24th of July celebration,
not just a 4th of July celebration?
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Orson Pratt & Erastus Snow
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Slide 27
Along the Trail
• The Mormon Trail stretched from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah
• Along the trail, the pioneers passed several places:
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Chimney Rock – southwestern Nebraska
Scotts Bluff – western Nebraska
Fort Laramie – eastern Wyoming
Independence Rock – central Wyoming
Devil’s Gate – central Wyoming
Fort Bridger – southwestern Wyoming
Echo Canyon – northeastern Utah
Big Mountain Pass – northeastern Utah
Emigration Canyon – northeastern Utah
Salt Lake Valley – northern Utah
• Crossing rivers and going through the Rocky Mountains were difficult tasks
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The last 119 miles were the worst of the whole journey
• At Fort Bridger, the pioneers stopped and rested for two days before completing
their journey
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There, they met with Jim Bridger, who advised the Mormons not to settle in the Great Basin
Region for it was too dry and food wouldn’t grow there
• With good irrigation techniques, the Mormon proved him to be wrong
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Slide 28
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Other Pioneer Companies
• Many Mormon pioneers would
travel to Salt Lake City and use
the Mormon Trail
• From 1846 to 1869 more than 70,000 Mormon pioneers
traveled along the Mormon Trail
• Some companies traveled in covered wagons
– others used handcarts
• Some companies traveled safely & enjoyed the journey
– others experienced hardships, starvation, cold, & even death
Slide 29
Trouble on the Trail
Troubles
• Heat
• Cold
• Dust
• Bad water
• Unusual food
• Insects
• Snake bites
• Poor sanitation
• Accidents
No harder than home life
• For most travelers the trip was
not harder or more lifethreatening than a year on a farm
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• It was a long trip nonetheless
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Slide 30
The Mormon Battalion
• The United States wanted the land west that belonged to Mexico
• President James K. Polk taught “Manifest Destiny”
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He and the United States declared war with Mexico in 1846
• During the war, President Polk called upon the Mormons to
provide a group of soldiers
• The Mormons gladly supplied about 500 men
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The pay benefited the members for it went toward the purchase of traveling supplies
• Brigham Young prophesied said that they would never fight
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The Mormon Battalion, as this group became known, never fought, but served diligently for
the U.S. Army
• They marched from Winter Quarters, to Santa Fe, to Tucson, to San Diego, to Las
Angeles and some to Sacramento
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Eventually, many made their way to Salt Lake City
• Some members of the Mormon Battalion were involved in the first discovery of
gold in California at Sutter’s Mill
• The Mexican War ended in 1848
• From that war, the United States gained many western lands, including parts of
the areas of modern day California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and New
Mexico
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Slide 31
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Slide 32
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Painting of the Mormon Battalion
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• My Family had James T S Allred in the Mormon Battalion
• Plus four other Allreds
Slide 33
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Quiz (20 points)
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12.
Who was the first leader of the Mormons? How did he die? (2 points)
Give three reasons for the conflicts between the Mormons and their neighbors.
In other words, what are three reasons Mormons were persecuted? (3 points)
What part of the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of religion? (Which
amendment?) (1 point)
What city did the Mormons build in the state of Illinois? (1 point)
Who led the pioneers after Joseph Smith was killed? (1 point)
What was the Mormon Battalion? (1 point)
Which river did both the Oregon Trail and Mormon Trail follow? (1 point)
What did the pioneers do to help us know so much about life on the trail? (1
point)
Who were the first two Mormons to enter the Salt Lake Valley? (2 points)
Which country ruled the Utah region when the pioneers arrived? (1 point)
On what day, month and year did Brigham Young and his party enter the Salt
Lake Valley? (3 points)
Name three well known places (landmarks) the Mormons passed along the
Mormon Trail. (3 points)
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