Lesson Title: Why did the Mormons find it impossible to live in the

East?

Know why Joseph Smith is important

Understand what factors made it impossible for

Mormons to live in the East

Skills: selecting and recalling information,

explanation

SAMPLE

Starter

Your homework from our last lesson was to come up with a mnemonic to help you remember the movements of the Mormons

Be prepared share the mnemonic you made with the rest the class

Prizes will be given out to the people with the best ones!

K KirtlandM MissouriN NauvooSLC Salt Lake City

SAMPLE

Task One

Cut out the six cards from the sheet and stick the events down in your exercise book in the correct order

Don’t worry about the card that mentions Brigham Young and the move to the Great Salt Lake, we are going to come onto this in our next few lessons

A Brief History of the Mormons

1. Smith gains followers and critics in equal measure. Many claim Smith is a fraud out to make money and that his claims are blasphemous. The Mormons are driven out of New York State and move to Kirtland, Ohio.

2. The Mormons go from strength to strength and become successful, much to the jealousy of the non-Mormons or Gentiles. However, after the collapse of their bank during the 1837 economic crisis the Mormons are chased out of Kirtland.

3. After a series of visions, Joseph Smith ‘discovers’ the book of Mormon written on gold plates in New York State and translates it into written form.

4. Brigham Young becomes the new leader of the Mormons and decides that it is best the Mormons leave and move to the Great Salt Lake flats beyond the Rocky Mountains.

5. Mormons move to Missouri where efforts are made by the non-Mormons to make life difficult for them. After locals rioted the Mormons are held responsible and Smith and local Mormon leaders are imprisoned and sentenced to death. Smith is released from jail on the understanding that he will leave Missouri with the Mormons.

6. Mormons move to Nauvoo in Illinois and again make a success of life. In 1844 Smith fatally allows certain Mormon leaders to have more than one wife (polygamy). Mormons and non-Mormons condemn Smith and polygamy as immoral and un-Christian. Smith destroys a critical Mormon newspaper printing press and is thus arrested and jailed. When he declares in jail that he wants to run for President he further stokes up anger towards him and he is shot dead by a 200 strong mob of non-Mormons in June 1845.

SAMPLE

Task Two

Complete the worksheet on why the Mormons found it impossible to live in the East

For all of the six factors on the sheet, you must explain how each one made it impossible for the Mormons to live in the East

SAMPLE

Smith’s importance

• ‘Discovered’ the gold plates• Set up the Mormon faith• Energy and charisma helped the movement

grow• Took his followers to Kirtland when they were

attacked in New York state• Under his guidance the movement grew

successfully: set up a bank, store, printing press in Kirtland

• Took his followers to Missouri• Liberal attitude to slaves and Indians annoyed

the locals• Forced to move again• Were again successful in Commerce/Nauvoo,

Illinois• Developed it into a thriving city state• Sent Mormon missionaries to Europe.

Numbers of Mormons grew rapidly• Set up Nauvoo Legion – this threatened

Gentiles• Introduced polygamy• Resulting actions (destroying printing press) led

to his arrest• Declared he wanted to run for President which

resulted in his murder in jail

Task Three

Make notes on Joseph Smith and his importance using pages 72-75 of the textbook

Try and think of as many reasons as to why he is important in helping the Mormons become successful

In your notes, you should include details about his…

• character and personality• main strengths and main

achievements • main weaknesses and main

failures

SAMPLE

Plenary

Based on what we have been looking at in our lesson today, have a go at answering the following exam question…

Briefly describe the religious beliefs of the Mormons (5 marks)

To get full marks on this part A question, you can either identify five beliefs or fully explain two beliefs in good detail

You have 8 minutes, try to hit all of the marks!

My example answer…

• They practised polygamy• Believed in racial equality, e.g. black people and Indians• Joseph Smith found gold plates that told the story of the last tribes of Israel• Jesus Christ ministered in America• Thought that they were God’s chosen people

5/5 – Full marks!

SAMPLE