| Mormon Trail |
Article Index for Mormon |
Website Links For Mormon |
Information AboutMormon Trail |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT MORMON TRAIL | |
| history of the american west | |
| historic trails and roads in the united states | |
| mormon pioneers | |
| mormon trail | |
| national trails of the united states | |
The Mormon Trail or '''Mormon Pioneer Trail''' is the 1,300 mile route that members of Latter Day Saint Movement traveled from 1846 - 1857 . Today the Mormon Trail is a part of the National Trails System , as the '''Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail '''. BACKGROUND Under the leadership of Joseph Smith, Jr. , Latter Day Saints established several communities throughout the United States between 1830 and 1844 , most notably in Kirtland, Ohio , Independence, Missouri , and Nauvoo, Illinois . The Saints were driven out of each of them in turn, however, due to conflicts with other settlers (see History Of The Latter Day Saint Movement ), finally being forced to abandon Nauvoo in 1846 . Although The Movement Had Schismed into several denominations after Smith's Death in 1844, most members aligned themselves with Brigham Young and The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints . Under Young's leadership, the Mormon citizens of Nauvoo set out to find a new home. THE TREK WEST Brigham Young , the new leader and prophet of the church, now had to lead the Saints into the far west, without knowing exactly where to go or where they would end up. After leaving Nauvoo, the Saints travelled through Iowa , Nebraska and Wyoming before finishing their journey in the Salt Lake Valley in present-day Utah . The trail they travelled followed the northern banks of the Platte and North Platte rivers. At the shore of the Salt Lake they finally settled down. They were in Mexican territory. Farming the land was very difficult, the shares broke when they tried to plough the ground, and they had to build an Irrigation system, before anything would grow. They established Salt Lake City . But in their new settlement entertainment was also important, and the first public building was a theatre. It did not take long, however, until the USA caught up with them, because in 1848 after the end of the War With Mexico the land where they settled became part of the United States. SEE ALSO
REFERENCE
EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|