The Mormon Exodus

1
The Mormon Exodus

• Nauvoo to The Great Salt Lake Valley

2
Joseph Smith

• Leader founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of
  Latter Day Saints (LDS)
• Believed that Jesus came to the new world after
  his death
• Wrote the book of Mormon
• Claimed to have found 11 tablets of this story
• He his brother were killed in Carthage, IL by a
  mob
• Brigham Young took the lead led the Mormons to
  the Great Salt Lake Valley

3
Brigham Young

• Second Leader of the Mormons
• Led them west to Utah
• Established the Winter Quarters (30th and State
  Streets)

4
The Mormon Deal

• Mormons wanted to worship in peace
• U.S. Govt promised they could have a large piece
  of land west of the Wasatch Mts in Utah
• 1 req., they had to survey a route to the west
  send their reports back
• They led opened a route to the west for
  everyone to follow

5
The Mormon Trail

• Young left Nauvoo, IL on 4 February 1846
• The trail followed paths that trappers had made
• Groups were made up of 10 to 100 families led by
  a captain
• Groups could cover 25-30 miles a day, (10-15 if
  pulling a hand cart)
• Knowing that others would follow, groups planted
  food left markers for water
• The route is very similar to I-80

6
The Mormon Trail

• The route was approx 1,032 miles (Omaha to Salt
  Lake City)
• 6,000 died (illness/accidents)
• Each member of the group was req. to help out
• No travel on Sundays
• 1846 1869 route in use
• During the Winter months, Mormons camped in North
  Omaha (30th State Streets)
• This area was known as the Winter Quarters

7
The Mormons meet Peter Sarpy

• The Mormons crossed the Missouri River at
  Bellevue and met w/ Peter Sarpy, the American Fur
  Trading Representative
• Sarpy couldnt help them-he sent them to the area
  of Florence
• The Indians up there made a deal w/ the Mormons
• The deal was they would show the Mormons how to
  grow winter crops and get fish
• In exchange, the Mormons gave the Indians a cut
  of whatever they grew or caught

8
Winter Quarters

• The Mormons crossed the Missouri River at
  Bellevue and met w/ Peter Sarpy
• Sarpy couldnt help them-he sent them to the area
  of Florence
• The Indians up there made a deal w/ the Mormons
• The deal was they would show the Mormons how to
  grow winter crops and get fish
• In exchange, the Mormons gave the Indians a cut
  of whatever they grew or caught

9
The Mormon Trail Center

• Located at 33rd State streets
• Its Free!
• Great displays!
• Extra Credit Opportunity!

10
Gateways to the West

• LDS members settle in Kanesville, IA
• Crossing the Missouri River was at 1 of 2 places,
  Omaha or Kansas City
• You could trek cross country or float up the
  Mississippi to St. Louis then up the Missouri
• Follow the Platt river valley west

11
Iowa Nebraska settled

• As Iowa is being settled, the Indians are getting
  pushed off their lands
• White settlers felt the Indians didnt deserve it
  get going!
• White settlers tell Logan Fontenell that more are
  coming
• Logan gives up some, but not all of the Omaha
  lands in exchange that the Omaha get to stay put
• The Omaha Indians are the only Indians to be
  still on their land today