The original Mormon Trail goes from Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois to Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, to Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, and Wyoming. This wagon trail length was about 1,300 miles. Joseph Smith was the man who founded the church. In 1844, Joseph Smith was murdered so the Latter-Day Saints left Nauvoo in fear that the mobs would soon attack them as well. Nauvoo, Illinois was a gathering place for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as Mormons, from 1839 to 1845. In 1846, neighbors forced an exodus of the main group out of Nauvoo. It took them almost four months so cross Iowa. Once they arrived to Winter Quarters, an area on the Nebraska side, they settled down for the winter. By the spring of 1847 about 400 lives were lost. While on their way to Salt Lake City the United States government asked for assistance in the Mexican American War. Following the council of Brigham Young, 500 men left their loved ones and marched to San Diego, California. Although they did not help out in this war, they did help develop new cities like: San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Brigham Young then split the group up into much smaller groups. The first group arrived in Salt Lake City July 24th, 1847. Mormons also did an awesome idea of planting crops and making way stations along the trail for people who would cross that path again. All but two of the ten handcart companies made a safely to Utah.
LEQ: How did the Westward Expansion transform the nation? The Mormon Trail was a huge help to this expansion. The Mormons built many boats for rivers like the Platte, Elk Horn, and Loup Rivers. William Clayton also made a guided book for people who would come across Utah. This trail goes through 5 states and was able to finally find the Great Valley in Salt Lake City, Utah. http://www.mormontrails.org/Trails/Summary/trailsum.htm This is a great page with a power-point about the Mormon Trail. There is also a year by year on how the Mormons went on this trail. There is a summary as well about what this trail was and the meaning for going on this long journey across the west. This great video below helps you understand what it really was like to be on the mormon trail. People actually go on the trail and try to understand what the pioneers went through. They even all wagons for days! They also explain how grateful they are for their ancestors. |