Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, which evolved into numerous denominations including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), one of the most significant new religious movements in American history. Born in Vermont and raised in upstate New York during a period of religious fervor known as the Second Great Awakening, Smith claimed to have experienced visions beginning at age fourteen, culminating in encounters with the Angel Moroni who directed him to golden plates containing sacred records. In 1830, Smith published the Book of Mormon, which he claimed to have translated from the plates, establishing foundational doctrine for the Latter Day Saint tradition. He founded The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1830 with a small group of followers and over the next decade established several communities in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, including the city of Nauvoo. Smith's teachings encompassed restored priesthood authority, modern revelation, temple worship, and distinctive doctrines that differentiated Latter Day Saints from mainstream Christianity. His leadership generated significant opposition from neighboring communities, partly due to the church's rapid growth, communal practices, and unconventional doctrines including polygamy. Smith was imprisoned multiple times for various charges and was killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois, in 1844, becoming a martyrdom figure in Latter Day Saint tradition. His legacy remains deeply polarized—revered as a prophet by millions of Latter Day Saints and viewed skeptically by religious scholars and historians.