Introduction

On June 27, 1844, in the American town of Carthage, Illinois, an armed mob stormed the county jail. Since that day in 1844, Latter-day Saints have memorialized Joseph and Hiram Smith as martyrs. What brought about this assassination? What motivated a mob to take such illegal actions? Now in a country that celebrated itself as a bastion of freedom, did the assailants justify murdering two religious leaders?