Richard L. Bushman's Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism, University of Illinois Press, 1984, is a widely cited academic history of the movement's founding, covering the rural New York and New England culture that shaped Joseph Smith and the church he organized on 6 April 1830 at Fayette, New York. Bushman is both a professional historian and a member of the church he studies; the book is read here for its historical rather than devotional content.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier1
Major university press academic monograph and winner of the David Woolley Evans and Beatrice Evans Biography Award; the author's own church membership is named plainly rather than hidden, and the book is used here strictly for its documented historical claims, the 6 April 1830 organization of the church at Fayette, New York. NotesUsed for the founding of the Latter Day Saint movement, 1830. A separate, denomination-scoped set of Latter-day Saints spread events already exists in this catalog (EntityIds 48558 to 48561); this tradition-level event is deliberately named and slugged to avoid collision with them.
Citation
AuthorRichard L. Bushman
PublisherUniversity of Illinois Press
Publication Year1984
Source Typeacademic monograph
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names New York directly: "founding, covering the rural New York and New England culture that shaped Joseph Smith and the church he organized on 6 April 1830 at Fayette, New York."
Claims Backed By This Source (22 claims)
This source backs 22 claims across the atlas. As facts: 14 well-attested. As cited relationships: 5 holds, 1 connected. Plus 2 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 8 claims: 7 well-attested, 1 holds.
- Spread Events, 8 claims: 3 well-attested, 4 holds, 1 general references.
- Articles, 6 claims: 4 well-attested, 1 connected, 1 general references.
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