1838 Mormon War in Missouri: Historical Context & Causes

LDS Perspective

The historical context of the 1838 Mormon-Missouri War (also called the Mormon War) stems from years of accumulated religious, political, and social tensions between Latter-day Saints and other Missouri citizens. Beginning with the Saints’ arrival in Jackson County in

Historical Perspective

The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri emerged from nearly a decade of escalating tensions between Latter-day Saints and Missouri residents, rooted in religious antagonism, political anxieties, and economic competition. Following the 1831 designation of Jackson County as the site of Zion, Mormon settlers faced immediate hostility from established residents who feared the religious group's communal economic practices and political bloc voting. After violent expulsion from Jackson County in 1833, Mormons resettled in Clay County and eventually established Caldwell County (1836) specifically as a Mormon settlement. However, rapid population growth—reaching approximately 15,000 by 1838—and expansion into adjacent Daviess and Carroll Counties exacerbated tensions as Missourians feared Mormon political