"In 1844, Joseph Smith, the controversial founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had amassed a national following of some 25,000 believers-and a militia of some 2,500 men. In this year, his priority was protecting the lives and civil rights of his people. Having failed to win the support of any of the presidential contenders for these efforts, Smith launched his own renegade campaign for the White House, one that would end with his assassination at the hands of an angry mob. Smith ran on a platform that called for the total abolition of slavery, the closure of the country's penitentiaries, the reestablishment of a national bank to stabilize the economy, and most importantly an expansion of protections for religious minorities. Spencer W. McBride tells the story of Smith's quixotic but consequential run for the White House and shows how his calls for religious freedom helped to shape the American political system we know today"--

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: USA, language: English, abstract: Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, started more than a religion; he led a political and a cultural movement that is still felt in contemporary American politics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints distinguishes itself as one of the fastest growing religious denominations in the United States of America. In 1844, Joseph Smith declared himself a contender for the presidential seat, a decision that perhaps received more scrutiny from his enemies than any other decision during his lifetime. Former studies of the life of Joseph Smith often contain half-truths and attempts to desecrate his character while giving little credit to the larger role he plays in the history of American politics and religion. This study provides an interdisciplinary look at his presidential campaign, and his true intentions for running. Joseph Smith possessed sincere political aspirations for the protection of all oppressed peoples. His campaign solidified his place not only in American religious history, but also in American political history.

By the election year of 1844, Joseph Smith, the controversial founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had amassed a national following of some 25,000 believers. Nearly half of them lived in the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, where Smith was not only their religious leader but also the mayor and the commander-in-chief of a militia of some 2,500 men. In less than twenty years, Smith had helped transform the American religious landscape and grown his own political power substantially. Yet the standing of the Mormon people in American society remained unstable. Unable to garner federal protection, and having failed to win the support of former president Martin Van Buren or any of the other candidates in the race, Smith decided to take matters into his own hands, launching his own bid for the presidency. While many scoffed at the notion that Smith could come anywhere close to the White House, others regarded his runand his religionas a threat to the stability of the young nation. Hounded by mobs throughout the campaign, Smith was ultimately killed by onethe first presidential candidate to be assassinated. Though Joseph Smith's run for president is now best rememberedwhen it is remembered at allfor its gruesome end, the renegade campaign was revolutionary. Smith called for the total abolition of slavery, the closure of the country's penitentiaries, and the reestablishment of a national bank to stabilize the economy. But Smith's most important proposal was for an expansion of protections for religious minorities. At a time when the Bill of Rights did not apply to individual states, Smith sought to empower the federal government to protect minorities when states failed to do so. Spencer W. McBride tells the story of Joseph Smith's quixotic but consequential run for the White House and shows how his calls for religious freedom helped to shape the American political system we know today.

Best Book Award • Mormon History Association A brilliant young historian excavates the brief life of a lost Mormon city, uncovering a “grand, underappreciated saga in American history” (Wall Street Journal). In Kingdom of Nauvoo, Benjamin E. Park draws on newly available sources to re-create the founding and destruction of the Mormon city of Nauvoo. On the banks of the Mississippi in Illinois, the early Mormons built a religious utopia, establishing their own army and writing their own constitution. For those offenses and others—including the introduction of polygamy, which was bitterly opposed by Emma Smith, the iron-willed first wife of Joseph Smith—the surrounding population violently ejected the Mormons, sending them on their flight to Utah. Throughout his absorbing chronicle, Park shows how the Mormons of Nauvoo were representative of their era, and in doing so elevates Mormon history into the American mainstream.

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject Politics - Region: USA, , language: English, abstract: Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, started more than a religion; he led a political and a cultural movement that is still felt in contemporary American politics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints distinguishes itself as one of the fastest growing religious denominations in the United States of America. In 1844, Joseph Smith declared himself a contender for the presidential seat, a decision that perhaps received more scrutiny from his enemies than any other decision during his lifetime. Former studies of the life of Joseph Smith often contain half-truths and attempts to desecrate his character while giving little credit to the larger role he plays in the history of American politics and religion. This study provides an interdisciplinary look at his presidential campaign, and his true intentions for running. Joseph Smith possessed sincere political aspirations for the protection of all oppressed peoples. His campaign solidified his place not only in American religious history, but also in American political history.

This book provides valuable insight into the views of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, on the powers and policy of the United States government. The book also features correspondence between Smith and two prominent politicians, J.C. Calhoun and Henry Clay, who were both running for President at the time. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the Latter Day Saint movement or American politics in the early 19th century. HIGH This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.