Mormon Expansion into Utah
After the Mexican Cession many
people started to move into the gained area. One of the biggest groups to do so
were the Mormons. They belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. This church was created by Joseph Smith in 1830. As more people joined
the church more people also began to be angered by the new religion. They were
forced to move from New York to Ohio. Then they went from Ohio to Missouri, and
Missouri to Illinois. In 1844 Joseph Smith was killed by an angry mob in
Illinois. Their new leader became Brigham Young. He realized that the Mormons
need to seek refuge, and decided to move to a valley between the Rocky Mountains
and the Great Salt Lake in Utah. He thought the isolation would allow them to
practice their religion without worrying about mobs.
|
Connection to Opportunity
Mormons were being attacked because of their beliefs. For
example, they marriage could be between one man but more than one women, and
that property should be owned in common. They needed to find a safe haven so
they could live their lives the way they wanted too. Manifest Destiney gave
them that opportunity. The Mexican Cession and Manifest Destiney gave the Mormon’s
an opportunity to practice their religion freely. Without begin able to move
into the west, they would have all been killed by their neighbors. The Mormon
religion would not exist today.
|