Why was brigham young successful in keeping the Mormons safe?

Answer 1

Brigham Young was a very determined man. He said what he meant, meant what he said, and was not afraid to do whatever it took to accomplish his goals. He was personable and friendly, but knew when to be stern and serious, and had little tolerance for those who were not willing to be 'all in' as he was. (He often said that if people weren't willing to do this or that then they should leave rather than bring everyone else down) This attitude was a huge contributor to his success as a leader and defender of the Mormon people.

The first thing that made him successful was moving to the Salt Lake Valley. This area is surrounded by some very difficult mountainous terrain which is subject to very severe weather, meaning it wouldn't be easy for any enemies to come, and if they did, the Mormons would have plenty of time to prepare.

The second thing that made him successful was his kindness to the Native Americans who lived in the area. For the most part, the Mormons and the Native Americans got along pretty well and were united in their distrust of the US Military and others who were sent to 'keep an eye' on the Mormons.

The third was his knack for order and organization. Brigham Young did an incredible job of organizing the people, assigning them tasks, and ensuring that the whole operation ran like clockwork. Since the people were unified in working for their survival, they had all they needed to survive in the harsh climate.