In what ways was the Mormons religious freedom violated?

Answer 1

Early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" Church) had their religious freedom violated in that they were kicked out of their homes and forced to leave simply because other people didn't like them. This happened in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. In Ohio, the persecution came from civillian neighbors, but in Missouri, an "extermination order" was placed on them by Governor Lillbourn W. Boggs. This ordered that all Mormons were to be "exterminated or driven from the state." In Illinois, the governnment asked them to leave by a certain date to avoid contention with civillians in the surrounding area.

Once moving to Salt Lake City, their religious freedom was violated again when the government passed laws placing most of their property under government ownership and made the practice of polygamy illegal - and then punished people who had entered into polygamous relationships before the law was passed.

Answer 2

Religious freedom and constitutional rights of Mormons were violated in several ways in the 1800's. When facing severe persecution the government refused to help and instead told them to move. In Missouri, laws were passed making it legal to "exterminate" Mormons. In Illinois their leader was murdered and nobody was ever convicted of the crime. In the later half of the century, Mormons were denied the right to vote or hold political office and the Church was stripped of it's property and not allowed to own land until they gave into pressure to change their religious practices. In Utah territory, they lost the right to vote their own territorial governor and one was appointed for them by the federal government. In 1903 the first Mormon Senator (Reed Smoot) was denied a seat in the US Senate simply because of his religion.