Sarah Uran

9/25/17

Mr.Legg, U.S.History

Brigham Young

According to statistics taken in Salt Lake City around 2013, a little over half of the

population identified as Mormon(11). This is all in the behalf of Brigham Young, the American

Moses, that moved to Salt Lake about 1,300 miles from where they were being mistreated due to

their religion in 1838 to 1839(5). As a result, about 16,000 Mormons from Missouri and Illinois

traveled on this trip with Brigham Young to the Promised Land(6).

In the movie, Brigham Young said that he talked to Joseph Smith, before Smith was on

trial for the bad events that happened, about switching to the Latter-Day Saints Church(F).

Which would later influence his great inspirational yet empowering speech to the courtroom(F).

Although, Young had a very well thought out speech, the one that was said in the film was not

completely factual. His speech was much longer specifically it was actually a hour and a half

long speech why he would be a good leader for the church, and lastly the speech was actually

said in front of the church on the 8th of August in 1844(9).

This speech is the entire reasoning for the majority of the Mormons going to the west in

the film. After the speech was said in the courtroom Joseph Smith, in the film, was shown that he

was killed without fighting back in the jail(F). In history, Joseph Smith actually shot back to the

people who killed him(8). He was shooting a pistol back at the men whose intention was to kill

them(8). He mis-shot his gun three times and then the other three shots injured people that were

going after him(8). This was one of the bigger differences between the film and history. After the
death of Joseph Smith it actually took the Mormons two years to arrange the moving to the

west(2). When in the film the events went much faster and has less time between them(F). When

they were moving to the west, the Mormons were accepted by the Native Americans because

they also felt like they had a lot in common(1). Yet, the film did not mention the fact that there

was a Massacre due to the Mormons killing off Native Americans when all they did was offer

their homes, relationships, and land to temporarily share with the Mormons(10).

Although, the film says that Young was having a hard time talking to god which is called

a revelation this was very untruthful because LDS says that he actually had many interactions

with god(3). Along with that, there was an entire relationship in the movie that was non-relevant

for the entertainment purposes(F).

Also the seagulls, in the film, came and ate all the crickets that were destroying all the

wheat which was mostly true, unfortunately they forgot to mention that they were growing

pumpkins, beans, and other foods like that(4). Lastly, in the spring of 1849, Young organized

Salt Lake City into nineteen different like divisions of the city and also organized them with

himself as governor(3). He was governor until 1857 after he served for eight years and

established an university he was released and passed away not to long after in August 29,1877

where all of his dreams were made reality in Salt Lake(7)

Bibliography

1.The History of Mormonism

https://graceuniversity.edu/iip/2011/09/11-09-24-1/

2. Mormon Pioneer Immigration Experience

https://sites.lib.byu.edu/muw/19thcentury/bibliographies/mpie/

3.Young, Brigham
http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Young,_Brigham

4. Seagulls, Miracle of
http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Seagulls,_Miracle_of

5.Brigham Young
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/brigham-young

6.Brigham Young (1801 - 1877)

http://www.virtualvermont.com/history/byoung.html

7. Brigham Young: Second President of the Church

https://www.lds.org/manual/presidents-of-the-church-student-manual/brigham-young-sec
ond-president-of-the-church?lang=eng

8.Bullet Points: Did Joseph Smith Shoot and/or Kill Any Member(s) of the Lynch Mob
That Attacked Him at Carthage Jail? . . .
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,259874

9.Lesson 38: Brigham Young Leads the Church

https://www.lds.org/manual/primary-5-doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history/lesson
-38-brigham-young-leads-the-church?lang=eng
10. The Search Is On for the Site of the Worst Indian Massacre in U.S. History
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/search-site-worst-indian-massacre-us-history-18
0959091/

11. Is Everyone a Mormon? And Other Questions About Salt Lake City Culture
http://www.move.org/ut/salt-lake-city/culture