Post #6 Perfect Mormon Utopia

     During the 1840s, Mormon cities and towns were being established to strengthen
the Mormon ideals. These ideals stemmed from the religion as well as a belief in
agriculture and industrialization. One of the Mormon cities was New Life,
Missouri. By looking at the map of New Life, Missouri in 1844, the Mormon ideals
of self sufficiency because of isolation; dominance of the church; and social
equality are reflected.
      The Mormons of the 19th century believed in a self sufficient way of life
through isolation. "They isolated themselves from their neighbors."
(http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.! us:8080/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nmormon.htm Pg 2) They
did this to "Set up cohesive, economically self sufficient and largely self
governing communities, setting themselves up not simply as a group of worshipers
but as a people apart.  (http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.us:8080/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nmormon.htm
Pg 2) The map of New Life, Missouri in 1844 shows these beliefs by separating
themselves by an outline of trees. These trees can be found on any direction on
the sides the map. They allow themselves to be self-sufficient community by
having farms to grow and produce, dairy farm for milk and other dairy products.
This Mormon community also has a wat! er source to catch fish and blacksmiths, a
bakery and a butcher. These shops and farms allow for the residents of the
community to grow, make and sell products, thus a
llowing them to be self sufficient.
     Mormon cities were set up because of the religion; this makes the church
dominant in the society. In the Mormon society of New Life, Missouri of 1844 the
center of the community was the church and town hall. The priest house and
industrial shops are also found in the core of the New Life, Missouri. The
Mormon religion had a strong belief in polygamy, "Celestial marriages under
which saints' marriages were "sealed" for eternity. This doctrine became the
basis for the revelation of the practice of "plural marriages" under which
select and worthy Mormon men could take multiple wives." (http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.us:8080/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nmormon.htm
Pg 3) This Mormon ideology of polygamy is shown in the map because the houses
are larger and sectional, which shows that the man of the household could have
two wives, each on one side of the house. The bel! ief in polygamy also shows a
lack of respect for women. ! The women are more of property than a person the
man loves. It also
shows that men and church are the dominant parts of a Mormon society.
     Even though men and church were a dominant aspect of the Mormon society in New
Life, Missouri in 1844, the religion did enforce a strict policy of equality.
The New Life society is equal by the plots of land all being the same size,
streets being the same width and proportionality in the spacing of the town. The
belief of equality stems from the "Theocratic-democracy." (http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.us:8080/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nmormon.htm
Pg 4) A theocratic democracy is one in which the church is in control, but with
democratic views. This is also shown by the church and town hall being the
center of the town.
     The main reason for Mormons setting up a utopian society is to get away from
industrialism.  Instead of focusing on industrialism, the Mormon utopian
societies focused their attention to the church and equality, which were strong
beliefs in their religion.  The map found in New Life, Missouri in 1844 shows
the prevalence of church, equality and their isolationism through the way the
society was set up.

References:
1.Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, and Stoff.  :Nations of Nations. New York,
NY, 2006.
2.http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.us:8080/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nmormon.htm
Sites:
1.http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.us:8080/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nmormon.htm
2.http://www.carm.org/mormon.htm
3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormonism

Comments

[nicole browne]

I think your logs are always well put together. Your logs are slways flows. I can not find any things wrong with this post.