USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Wherever the Church’s members gathered together to establish their “Kingdom of God, ” others became suspicious, fearful, hostile, and sometimes even violent. This resulted in persecution against the Mormons.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Mormons, as they were commonly known, had moved west to escape religious discrimination. After the murder of founder and prophet Joseph Smith, they knew they had to leave their old settlement in Illinois. Many Mormons died in the cold, harsh winter months as they made their way over the Rocky Mountains to Utah.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Mormons were persecuted for several reasons: They didn’t keep slaves, which was seen as a threat to the surrounding slave-owning culture at a time when the abolition of slavery was a big issue. Their doctrine of plural marriage was seen as a serious attack on the social and ethical rules of the period.

Detailed explanation-4: -Between 1847 and 1900 the Mormons founded about 500 settlements in Utah and neighboring states. At the same time, missionaries traveled worldwide, and thousands of religious converts from many cultural backgrounds made the long journey from their homelands to Utah via boat, rail, wagon train, and handcart.