Joseph Smith for President : the prophet, the assassins, and the fight for American religious freedom / Spencer W. McBride.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McBride, Spencer W., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Presidents--United States--Election--1844.

Presidents.

Presidential candidates--United States--Biography.

Presidential candidates.

Political participation.

Political campaigns.

History.

United States.

Political campaigns--United States--History--19th century.

Presidents--Election.

Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844--Political activity.

Smith, Joseph.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--Political activity.

Genre:

Biographies.

History.

Physical Description:

xi, 269 pages, 10 pages of unnumbered plates : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2021]

Summary:

"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"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: 1. A Lesson in Political Negotiations

2. Shattered American Idealism

3. A City-State on a Hill

4. The Specter of Missouri

5. Mobocracy

6. Presidential Hopefuls

7. A Political Tract

8. The Political Kingdom of God

9. Electioneering Missionaries

10. Vice Presidents and Protest Candidates

11. Convention Season

12. American Royalty

13. More Conventions

14. Assassination

15. Aftermath.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: McBride, Spencer W. Joseph Smith for President

ISBN:

9780190909413

0190909412

OCLC:

1184236574

Publisher Number:

99987776889