Increasing Plains Settlement

• Conditions at Salt Lake Valley

  • Truly inhospitable place, intimidating wilderness
• Challenges faced by the Mormons

  • Landscape, organization, leadership
• Advanced party laid supplies along the route for the Mormons
• Brigham Young


  • Guided the Mormons to Salt Lake Valley and ensured their thriving by enforcing strict organization and leadership
• Brigham Young's leadership


  Mormons believed he was God's prophet and followed his lead, which simplified settlement and organization
• Organization by Brigham Young


  Decreed church owned all land, gave clear orders for problem-solving, organized wider settlements with the right set of skills
• Overcoming the landscape

  Young organized schemes to bring fresh water through irrigation channels, planted trees, and used dispersed settlements for timber and rocks
• Salt Lake City was established, grew, and thrived
• Mormons didn't just survive in Salt Lake Valley, they thrived
• Young's strict leadership was crucial in organizing the settlers to succeed
• Mormons overcame the challenges of the landscape with supporting settlements and irrigation
• Significant challenges were faced in establishing a thriving settlement in Salt Lake Valley
• Young's organization, leadership, people's belief in the Church of Latter-Day Saints, and overcoming the landscape contributed to the Mormons' success