The following a table showing the chronology of the Mormon Church from 1800 to 1978. There’s a lot more that could be added but this list is comprised of the major points worthy of consideration.
1800 | Hyrum Smith (Joseph Smith’s brother) is born. |
1805, Dec. 23 | Joseph Smith, Jr. is born in Sharon, Vermont. |
1806, Oct. 3 | Oliver Cowdery is born. |
1820 | Joseph Smith says God the Father and Jesus appear to him and say all churches are wrong. |
1823, Sept. 21 | Angel Moroni appears to Joseph Smith telling him the location of the golden plates. |
1827 | Joseph Smith receives the golden plates that were buried in the Hill Cumorah. |
1829 | John the Baptist gives the Aaronic Priesthood to Smith and Oliver Cowdery. |
1830 | The Book of Mormon is first published. |
1830, April 6 | The Mormon Church is first organized and called “The Church of Christ.” |
1831 | The Mormon Church moves to Kirtland, Ohio. |
1833 | The Book of Commandments is published. |
1834 | The church name is changed to “The Church of Latter-Day Saints.” |
1838 | Joseph Smith leaves Kirtland and goes to Far West, Missouri. |
1838 | The church name is changed to “The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints.” |
1838 | About 19 Mormon men, women, and children are attacked and killed at Haun’s Mill, Missouri. |
1839 | The settlement at Nauvoo, Illinois. |
1841, April 6 | Foundation laid for the Temple at Nauvoo. |
1843 | Kinderhook plates are found. |
1843 | The revelation that permits polygamy is received by Joseph Smith. |
1844, June 10 | Joseph Smith and others destroy the printing press of the Nauvoo Expositor. |
1844, June 25 | Joseph Smith is arrested and held in Carthage Jail, Carthage, Il. |
1844, June 27 | A mob breaks into the jail and kills Joseph and his brother Hyrum. |
1846 | Mormons leave Nauvoo led by Brigham Young. |
1849, March | The state of Desert is founded in Salt Lake City. |
1850 | Utah Territory organized. |
1851 | The First Edition of the Pearl of Great Price is published. |
1857, Sept. 11 | Mountain Meadows Massacre where more than 120 men, women, and children were killed by Mormons and Indians. |
1862 | Polygamy is outlawed in the U.S. |
1876 | The first proclamation of polygamy is published in D & C 132. |
1877, Aug. 29 | Brigham Young dies. |
1880 | Pearl of Great Price becomes Scripture. |
1890 | President Wilford Woodruff asks Mormons to stop practicing polygamy. |
1918, Nov. 19 | Joseph Fielding Smith, 6th president of the church, the youngest son of Hyrum Smith, dies. |
1967 | The Original papyri Smith used to translate the Book of Abraham are rediscovered — it was found to be the Book of Breathings, a funeral text. |
1978 | Blacks are allowed to hold the priesthood. |