Item Detail
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22827
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2
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0
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English
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The Mormon War : The Struggle to Maintain Civil Order in Northwestern Missouri in 1838
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Fairfax, VA
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George Mason University
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168
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Master's thesis
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"In 1838 animosity between the Mormons and their neighbors in Missouri erupted in armed conflict. Although much has been written about the so-called Mormon War, a re-examination of these events was justified for several reasons. The recent discovery of new source materials, including journals, letters, petitions, and official documents, made available a wealth of new information. Previous histories, while recognizing that the Mormons engaged in illegal activities, failed to describe the depth or intensity of their activities. In addition, most histories have been written by Mormons and focus on their actions; a more detailed description of the Missourians' attitudes and activies was also needed. This thesis presents not so much a radical interpretation of the events as a more balanced account. The Mormon War was not a spontaneous outburst of mob violence but a slowly developing conflict in which anti-Mormon vigilantes took deliberate, determined steps to drive the Mormons from their communities. The civil authorities tried to maintain order, but the militant activities of the Saints and the anti-Mormon prejudice of the militia undercut their efforst to resolve peacefully the conflict. The violence continued until Governor Lilburn Boggs, reacting to one-sided reports of Mormon depredations, ordered that they be exterminated or driven from the state. After a siege of their stronghold by state troops, the Mormons surrendered and agreed to leave Missouri." [Author's abstract]