The Mountain Meadows Massacre occurred on September 11, 1857, in southern Utah. A group of Mormon settlers, along with Native American allies, attacked a wagon train of emigrants traveling from Arkansas to California. Over the course of several days, tensions escalated into violence, culminating in the killing of approximately 120 men, women, and children. Only 17 children under the age of seven were spared.

The massacre was initially blamed on Native Americans, but evidence later revealed significant involvement by local Mormon militia members, likely motivated by fears and hostility during a period of heightened tension between the U.S. government and the Mormon Church. Brigham Young, the church leader at the time, denied authorizing the attack, though his exact role remains debated.

The event remains one of the darkest chapters in Mormon history and has been the subject of extensive investigation and public discourse.#lds #mormon #exmormon

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