Misplaced Pages

#915084

101-628: The Mormon corridor are the areas of western North America that were settled between 1850 and approximately 1890 by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who are commonly called " Mormons ". In academic literature, the area is also commonly called the Mormon culture region. It has also been referred to as the Book of Mormon belt , and the Jell-O belt , these being cultural references to

202-550: A writing system , built huge pyramids and temples , had a complex calendar , and developed the concept of zero around 400 CE. The first recorded European references to North America are in Norse sagas where it is referred to as Vinland . The earliest verifiable instance of pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact by any European culture with the North America mainland has been dated to around 1000 CE. The site , situated at

303-424: A more permanent settlement. He traveled in a mile-long caravan of 115 men, 22 women, 5 boys, 168 horses and mules, 54 carriages and wagons, and two light boats for river crossings. Notable members of the party included Heber C. Kimball , Daniel H. Wells , Chief Arapeen and his wife Wispit, and interpreter Dimick B. Huntington . Young was pleased with the growth of the mission and friendly relations he felt

404-575: A northern evacuation from Utah. As tensions between the US government and the Utah territory increased, Young developed a contingency plan to evacuate his followers north via Fort Lemhi as far north as Canada if necessary. In October 1856, Fort Lemhi missionary Pleasant Green Taylor was instructed to contact an agent of the Hudson's Bay Company about purchasing Fort Hall . Taylor and three other missionaries travelled to

505-578: A part of Denmark) and Mexico classified as Latin American). It is unknown with certainty how and when first human populations first reached North America. People were known to live in the Americas at least 20,000 years ago, but various evidence points to possibly earlier dates. The Paleo-Indian period in North America followed the Last Glacial Period, and lasted until about 10,000 years ago when

606-648: A period of mountain building called the Laramide orogeny , between 80 and 55 mya. The formation of the Isthmus of Panama that connected the continent to South America arguably occurred approximately 12 to 15 mya, and the Great Lakes (as well as many other northern freshwater lakes and rivers) were carved by receding glaciers about 10,000 years ago. North America is the source of much of what humanity knows about geologic time periods. The geographic area that would later become

707-571: A powerful earthquake killed seven people in 2009. Volcanic eruptions are common in the region. In 1968, the Arenal Volcano , in Costa Rica, erupted and killed 87 people. Fertile soils from weathered volcanic lavas have made it possible to sustain dense populations in agriculturally productive highland areas. Central America has many mountain ranges ; the longest are the Sierra Madre de Chiapas ,

808-546: A rescue. On February 28, 1858, Ezra J. Barnard and Baldwin J. Watts snuck away from the fort and travelled the four hundred miles to arrive in Salt Lake on March 8. The last two days of their journey they had no food and only one horse. Details of the attack were stitched into the lining of Barnard's coat. Brigham Young ordered his followers to abandon the mission. He also ordered Colonel Andrew Cunningham to lead three companies of men from Davis, Weber, and Utah Counties to aid

909-540: A variety of reactions, including curiosity, trading, cooperation, resignation, and resistance. The indigenous population declined substantially following European arrival, primarily due to the introduction of Eurasian diseases, such as smallpox , to which the indigenous peoples lacked immunity, and because of violent conflicts with Europeans. Indigenous culture changed significantly and their affiliation with political and cultural groups also changed. Several linguistic groups died out , and others changed quite quickly. On

1010-640: Is a very large continent that extends from north of the Arctic Circle to south of the Tropic of Cancer . Greenland, along with the Canadian Shield , is tundra with average temperatures ranging from 10 to 20 °C (50 to 68 °F), but central Greenland is composed of a very large ice sheet. This tundra radiates throughout Canada, but its border ends near the Rocky Mountains (but still contains Alaska) and at

1111-511: Is an ancient craton which forms the geologic core of North America; it formed between 1.5 and 1.0 billion years ago during the Proterozoic eon. The Canadian Shield is the largest exposure of this craton. From the Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic eras, North America was joined with the other modern-day continents as part of the supercontinent Pangaea , with Eurasia to its east. One of

SECTION 10

#1732844087916

1212-535: Is in present-day Panama at the Darien Gap on the Colombia -Panama border, placing almost all of Panama within North America. Alternatively, some geologists physiographically locate its southern limit at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec , Mexico, with Central America extending southeastward to South America from this point. The Caribbean islands, or West Indies, are considered part of North America. The continental coastline

1313-630: Is long and irregular. The Gulf of Mexico is the largest body of water indenting the continent, followed by Hudson Bay . Others include the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Gulf of California . Before the Central American isthmus formed, the region had been underwater. The islands of the West Indies delineate a submerged former land bridge , which had connected North and South America via what are now Florida and Venezuela . There are several islands off

1414-548: Is part of North America geographically. In a geologic sense, Bermuda is not part of the Americas, but an oceanic island that was formed on the fissure of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge over 100 million years ago (mya). The nearest landmass to it is Cape Hatteras , North Carolina . However, Bermuda is often thought of as part of North America, especially given its historical, political and cultural ties to Virginia and other parts of

1515-686: Is the Morrison Formation of the western U.S. Canada is geologically one of the oldest regions in the world, with more than half of the region consisting of Precambrian rocks that have been above sea level since the beginning of the Palaeozoic era. Canada's mineral resources are diverse and extensive. Across the Canadian Shield and in the north there are large iron, nickel, zinc , copper, gold, lead, molybdenum , and uranium reserves. Large diamond concentrations have been recently developed in

1616-516: Is the humid subtropical climate . This area has the wettest cities in the contiguous U.S. , with annual precipitation reaching 67 in (1,700 mm) in Mobile, Alabama . Stretching from the borders of the humid continental and subtropical climates, and going west to the Sierra Nevada , south to the southern tip of Durango , north to the border with tundra climate, the steppe / desert climates are

1717-458: Is the key of this continent and I think we had better keep near the lock and keep the key in our own hand." While the local Native American tribes had agreed to a small mission outpost, they were against a permanent settlement. The colony required more buildings, fences, and land, which soured relationships with local native tribes. Furthermore, Flathead leaders throughout the Northwest worried

1818-451: The Age of Discovery and the early modern period . Present-day cultural and ethnic patterns reflect interactions between European colonists, indigenous peoples , enslaved Africans , immigrants from Europe, Asia, and descendants of these respective groups. Europe's colonization in North America led to most North Americans speaking European languages, such as English , Spanish , and French , and

1919-509: The Archaic period began. The classic stage followed the Archaic period, and lasted from approximately the 6th to 13th centuries. Beginning in 1000 AD, the Norse were the first Europeans to begin exploring and ultimately colonizing areas of North America. In 1492, the exploratory voyages of Christopher Columbus led to a transatlantic exchange , including migrations of European settlers during

2020-551: The Bering Strait during the Early-Middle Holocene . Prior to the arrival of European explorers and colonists in North America, the natives of North America were divided into many different polities, ranging from small bands of a few families to large empires. They lived in several culture areas , which roughly correspond to geographic and biological zones that defined the representative cultures and lifestyles of

2121-699: The Bible Belt of the Southeastern United States , and the Book of Mormon , along with the perceived favor Mormons have for Jell-O . The Mormon culture region generally follows the path of the Rocky Mountains of North America, with most of the population clustered in the United States . Beginning in Utah , the corridor extends northward through western Wyoming and eastern Idaho to parts of Montana and

SECTION 20

#1732844087916

2222-576: The British Columbia Coast , Western Canada , and Northern Canada . In the U.S., they include New England , the Mid-Atlantic , South Atlantic states , East North Central states , West North Central states , East South Central states , West South Central states , Mountain states , and Pacific states . The Great Lakes region and the Pacific Northwest include areas in both Canada and

2323-806: The Caribbean Plate , whereas the Juan de Fuca Plate and Cocos Plate border the North American Plate on its western frontier. The continent can be divided into four great regions (each of which contains many subregions): the Great Plains stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian Arctic ; the geologically young, mountainous west, including the Rocky Mountains , the Great Basin , California , and Alaska ;

2424-580: The Continental Divide through what is now known as Lemhi Pass. The mission was named Fort Limhi for King Limhi , a king in the Book of Mormon . In Mormon scripture, King Limhi organized an expedition that lasted 22 days, the same duration it required the Mormon missionaries to reach the Salmon River. Consequently, they named their mission after King Limhi, and Limhi eventually became "Lemhi." Over time

2525-553: The Cordillera Isabelia , and the Cordillera de Talamanca . Between the mountain ranges lie fertile valleys that are suitable for the people; in fact, most of the population of Honduras, Costa Rica, and Guatemala live in valleys. Valleys are also suitable for the production of coffee, beans, and other crops. The indigenous peoples of the Americas have many creation myths , based on which they assert that they have been present on

2626-459: The East Coast to eastern North Dakota , and stretching down to Kansas , is the humid continental climate featuring intense seasons, with a large amount of annual precipitation, with places like New York City averaging 50 in (1,300 mm). Starting at the southern border of the humid continental climate and stretching to the Gulf of Mexico (whilst encompassing the eastern half of Texas)

2727-608: The Inuit of the high Arctic arrived in North America much later than other native groups, evidenced by the disappearance of Dorset culture artifacts from the archaeological record and their replacement by the Thule people . During the thousands of years of native habitation on the continent, cultures changed and shifted. One of the oldest yet discovered is the Clovis culture (c. 9550–9050 BCE) in modern New Mexico . Later groups include

2828-452: The Lemhi Pass ), and present-day Moab in eastern Utah; fourth, permanent colonies in Utah and nearby states and territories to provide homes and farms for the hundreds of new immigrants arriving each summer." At times, Young or his agents met incoming wagon trains of Mormon pioneers , assigning the groups a secondary destination to establish a new community. After a relatively brief rest in

2929-694: The Mississippian culture and related Mound building cultures, found in the Mississippi River valley and the Pueblo culture of what is now the Four Corners . The more southern cultural groups of North America were responsible for the domestication of many common crops now used around the world, such as tomatoes, squash , and maize . As a result of the development of agriculture in the south, many other cultural advances were made there. The Mayans developed

3030-528: The Salmon River valley (then in Oregon Territory ). They selected a permanent site to build a settlement on June 15, 1855 on land used by Bannock , Shoshone , Nez Perce and Flathead peoples. Access to each of these nations made the location ideal for a missionary outpost. The Nez Perce and Bannock leaders agreed to let the missionaries use the land for fishing, hunting, and logcutting, as long as it

3131-450: The United States . North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), representing approximately 16.5% of the Earth 's land area and 4.8% of its total surface area. It is the third-largest continent by size after Asia and Africa , and the fourth-largest continent by population after Asia, Africa, and Europe . As of 2021 , North America's population

Mormon corridor - Misplaced Pages Continue

3232-520: The Utah War . Some settlements were associated with existing or prior towns, and many were abandoned once the threat of persecution decreased after the 1890 Manifesto , and the transportation system in the Western United States matured. The first transcontinental railroad was especially significant in reinforcing or altering settlement patterns. After Young's death in 1877, successive leaders of

3333-650: The Wasatch Front , stretched from St. George in the southwest to Nephi in the northeast, including the Sevier River valley. The corridor is roughly congruent with the area between present-day Interstate 15 and U.S. Route 89 . Outside of the Wasatch Front , and Utah's Cache Valley , most of the population of the state resides in this corridor. The larger chain of Mormon settlements, ranging from Canada to Mexico , were initially established as agricultural centers or to gain access to metals and other materials needed by

3434-480: The first official name given to Mexico. North America includes several regions and subregions, each of which have their own respective cultural, economic, and geographic regions. Economic regions include several regions formalized in 20th- and 21st-century trade agreements, including NAFTA between Canada , Mexico , and the United States , and CAFTA between Central America , the Dominican Republic , and

3535-651: The "Jell-O belt" due to the popularity of Jell-O in the region. One of the official pins for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City was a green Jell-O jiggler in the shape of the state. According to the Los Angeles Times , "Salt Lake City is America's Jell-O-eating capital. Every man, woman and child in Salt Lake City buys two boxes of the stuff annually, or twice the national average, says Mary Jane Kinkade of Jell-O brand gelatin-maker Kraft Foods . Utah residents also eat twice as much lime Jell-O as anyone else on

3636-453: The 1490s, building cities, putting the resident indigenous populations to work, raising crops for Spanish settlers and panning gold to enrich the Spaniards. Much of the indigenous population died due to disease and overwork, spurring the Spaniards on to claim new lands and peoples. An expedition under the command of Spanish settler, Hernán Cortés , sailed westward in 1519 to what turned out to be

3737-615: The Arctic, making Canada one of the world's largest producers. Throughout the Shield, there are many mining towns extracting these minerals. The largest, and best known, is Sudbury , Ontario. Sudbury is an exception to the normal process of forming minerals in the Shield since there is significant evidence that the Sudbury Basin is an ancient meteorite impact crater . The nearby, but less-known Temagami Magnetic Anomaly has striking similarities to

3838-506: The Bitterroot Valley to meet with Hudson's Bay agent Neil McArthur. McArthur agreed to pass Young's interest along to Hudson's Bay, and the four Fort Lemhi missionaries returned to Brigham Young with a map and favorable reports of the valley. They were impressed with the area's agricultural, defensive, and transportation potential as a new home for Young's followers. Furthermore, Brigham Young felt there might be more security living on

3939-596: The Canadian North-West Territories . Card led a small group of explorers into present-day Alberta in 1886 and selected a settlement site. In 1887, enough settlers arrived from northern Utah to establish the community of Cardston . By 1895, many additional LDS-based communities had been established in nearby areas in the province, partially because of a labour contract with the Alberta Irrigation Company. The Mormon corridor has been nicknamed

4040-635: The Caribbean islands. France took the western half of Hispaniola and developed Saint-Domingue as a cane sugar producing colony worked by black slave labor. Britain took Barbados and Jamaica , and the Dutch and Danes took islands previously claimed by Spain. Britain did not begin settling on the North American mainland until a hundred years after the first Spanish settlements, since it sought first to control nearby Ireland . The first permanent English settlement

4141-616: The Cod fish", in reference to the abundance of cod fish on the East Coast . Waldseemüller used the Latin version of Vespucci's name, Americus Vespucius, in its feminine form of "America", following the examples of "Europa", "Asia", and "Africa". Americus originated from Medieval Latin Emericus (see Saint Emeric of Hungary ), coming from the Old High German name Emmerich . Map makers later extended

Mormon corridor - Misplaced Pages Continue

4242-579: The Fort Lemhi militia. Upon his return to Salt Lake, Young told his followers the purpose of the trip north had been to "rest the mind and weary the body" and downplayed the quality of land he had visited. However, to his inner circle he praised the abundance of good soil and grazing land and made plans to settle the Bitterroot valley and beyond. After a prayer circle meeting with Young where they discussed Fort Lemhi, Wilford Woodruff wrote, "This [Fort Limhi]

4343-565: The House of Israel. While it is no longer a core tenant of the Latter-day faith, at the time leaders taught that "the time had arrived when all the wicked should be destroyed from the face of the earth, and that the Indians would be the principal means by which this object should be accomplished." Fort Lemhi was particularly significant to Brigham Young's war strategy, as it would be a waystation in case of

4444-424: The LDS Church continued to establish new settlements in outlying areas of the west. The Salt River Valley in western Wyoming, now known as Star Valley , was designated for settlement in August 1878, while Bunkerville and Mesquite, Nevada were settled in 1879 and 1880 respectively. Communities were also established in eastern and southeastern Utah and western Colorado, primarily populated by LDS Church converts from

4545-690: The LDS arrival in the Salt Lake Valley , "...nearly 100 colonies had been planted; by 1867, more than 200; and by the time of (Young's) death in 1877, nearly 400 colonies." These colonies had four distinct purposes: "...first, settlements intended to be temporary places of gathering and recruitment, such as Carson Valley in Nevada; second, colonies to serve as centers for production, such as iron at Cedar City , cotton at St. George , cattle in Cache Valley, and sheep in Spanish Fork , all in Utah; third, colonies to serve as centers for proselytizing and assisting Indians, as at Harmony in southern Utah, Las Vegas in southern Nevada, Fort Lemhi (north-central Idaho near

4646-406: The LDS settlers, the first Mormon colony in Mexico was named Colonia Díaz . This settlement was shortly followed by two additional communities. In March 1886, Colonia Juarez and Colonia Dublán were established, with other smaller settlements emerging in future years. Taylor instructed Charles Ora Card of Logan, Utah , to investigate, and if possible, establish similar communities of refuge in

4747-530: The Mormons "should overrun and occupy their lands in force." Brigham Young's visit to Fort Lemhi also came under federal scrutiny. The journey took Young outside of his jurisdiction as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Utah Territory. His visits with Native Americans of the Oregon Territory, and the gifts he gave them, violated federal law; Young later documented these items as gifts for Utah Indians. The visit also spawned rumors from Native American leaders and U.S. Indian Agents that Mormons were supplying

4848-408: The Mormons at Fort Limhi held mountaineer John W. Powell in custody when asked to by the Nez Perce, which angered the Bannocks, with whom Powell had connections. In need of supplies to survive a winter encampment, Albert Sidney Johnston sent a party northward from Camp Scott to buy 500 cattle from the mountaineers around the upper Columbia and Missouri rivers. Led by Benjamin Franklin Ficklin ,

4949-413: The Nez Perce, Walla Walla, Snakes, and Flatheads with weapons, inciting hostilities, and encouraging them to fight against the U.S. Government. The commissioner of Indian Affairs J.W. Denver reprimanded Young, writing "you fitted out an expedition yourself, and conducted it northward, out of your superintendency, to give presents to Indians not under your control." This letter, along with 46 other files from

5050-419: The North America's southeastern coast, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León , who had accompanied Columbus's second voyage, visited and named in 1513 La Florida . As the colonial period unfolded, Spain, England, and France appropriated and claimed extensive territories in North America eastern and southern coastlines. Spain established permanent settlements on the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola and Cuba in

5151-496: The Office of Indian Affairs, was included in President Buchanan's report to Congress justifying his order to send troops into Utah. Native tribes became less friendly with the settlers as they awaited the outcome of the impending Utah War and more colonists arrived to the fort and competed for resources. The settlers also interfered in a Bannock, Shoshone, and Nez Perce tribal dispute over horses, though they were largely ignorant of their complex relationships. In December 1857,

SECTION 50

#1732844087916

5252-416: The Sudbury Basin. Its magnetic anomalies are very similar to the Sudbury Basin, and so it could be a second metal-rich impact crater. The Shield is also covered by vast boreal forests that support an important logging industry. The United States can be divided into twelve main geological provinces: Each province has its own geologic history and unique features. The geology of Alaska is typical of that of

5353-410: The U.S. North America occupies the northern portion of the landmass generally referred to as the New World, the Western Hemisphere , the Americas, or simply America, which, in many countries, is considered a single continent with North America a subcontinent . North America is the third-largest continent by area after Asia and Africa . North America's only land connection to South America

5454-418: The US army to show their peaceful intentions, but was unsuccessful in persuading them to pursue peace. Kane then prepared to visit the US army at Camp Scott to attempt brokering peace. News of the Fort Lemhi attack reached Brigham Young on March 8, the day Kane planned to leave. Kane noted a dramatic change in Brigham Young's demeanor, though Young did not mention the attack to the ambassador. While enroute to

5555-429: The United States has been the source of more varieties of dinosaurs than any other modern country. According to paleontologist Peter Dodson, this is primarily due to stratigraphy, climate and geography, human resources, and history. Much of the Mesozoic Era is represented by exposed outcrops in the many arid regions of the continent. The most significant Late Jurassic dinosaur-bearing fossil deposit in North America

5656-550: The United States, and Mexico. France , Italy , Portugal , Spain , Romania , Greece , and the countries of Latin America use a six-continent model , with the Americas viewed as a single continent and North America designating a subcontinent comprising Canada , the United States , Mexico, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon (politically part of France), and often including Greenland and Bermuda . North America has historically been known by other names, including Spanish North America, New Spain , and América Septentrional,

5757-527: The United States. North America is divided linguistically and culturally into two primary regions, Anglo-America and Latin America . Anglo-America includes most of North America, Belize , and Caribbean islands with English -speaking populations. There are also regions, including Louisiana and Quebec , with large Francophone populations; in Quebec , French is the official language. . The southern portion of North America includes Central America and non-English speaking Caribbean nations. The north of

5858-435: The area had shifted to the Aztec Empire , whose capital city Tenochtitlan was located further north in the Valley of Mexico . The Aztecs were conquered in 1521 by Hernán Cortés . During the so-called Age of Discovery , Europeans explored overseas and staked claims to various parts of North America, much of which was already settled by indigenous peoples. Upon Europeans' arrival in the " New World ", indigenous peoples had

5959-436: The army, Kane was overtaken by messengers with a letter from Young, stating he had just found out the army needed provisions and he would be happy to supply them as a show of good will. On April 14, 1858, the Deseret News reported that Johnston's soldiers had instigated the attack on Fort Lemhi and "offered the Indians $ 150 for every Mormon they delivered to them." Although Ficklin was a private citizen, Johnston had authorized

6060-485: The border into Mexico, where church leaders had investigated settlement opportunities in earlier years. By the end of 1885, however, the Mormon colonists had been denied the opportunity to purchase land within Chihuahua, by order of the acting governor. While the colonists remained on rented land, negotiations between members of the LDS Church's Quorum of Twelve Apostles and Mexican president, Porfirio Díaz , were successful and legal barriers were lifted. For his help towards

6161-422: The calling or given a new assignment. Colonizers traveled at their own expense, and success depended on appropriate supplies and personal resourcefulness, as well as uncontrolled variables such as water supplies and weather. Several of these colonies could also have provided support for a second migration of the Latter-day Saints which might have become necessary due to pressure by the U.S. government, starting with

SECTION 60

#1732844087916

6262-449: The colonizers had with the local Native American tribes. He told the missionaries to move their families to Fort Lemhi. Young also made plans for a second fort on the Salmon River's east fork. In a sermon, Heber C. Kimball reminded the missionaries of their duty to intermarry with the Native Americans and become one people. Nine men responded by leaving the fort to propose to native women and were refused. General Daniel H. Wells drilled

6363-432: The continent maintains recognized regions as well. In contrast to the common definition of North America, which encompasses the whole North American continent, the term "North America" is sometimes used more narrowly to refer only to four nations, Canada, Greenland, Mexico, and the U.S. The U.S. Census Bureau includes Saint Pierre and Miquelon, but excludes Mexico from its definition. The term Northern America refers to

6464-452: The continent's coasts; principally, the Arctic Archipelago, the Bahamas , Turks and Caicos , the Greater and Lesser Antilles , the Aleutian Islands (some of which are in the Eastern Hemisphere proper), the Alexander Archipelago , the many thousand islands of the British Columbia Coast, and Newfoundland. Greenland , a self-governing Danish island, and the world's largest , is on the same tectonic plate (the North American Plate ) and

6565-410: The continent. The vast majority of North America is on the North American Plate. Parts of western Mexico, including Baja California, and of California , including the cities of San Diego , Los Angeles , and Santa Cruz , lie on the eastern edge of the Pacific Plate , with the two plates meeting along the San Andreas Fault . The southernmost portion of the continent and much of the West Indies lie on

6666-604: The cordillera, while the major islands of Hawaii consist of Neogene volcanics erupted over a hot spot . Central America is geologically active with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occurring from time to time. In 1976 Guatemala was hit by a major earthquake , killing 23,000 people; Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, was devastated by earthquakes in 1931 and 1972, the last one killing about 5,000 people; three earthquakes devastated El Salvador, one in 1986 and two in 2001; one earthquake devastated northern and central Costa Rica in 2009, killing at least 34 people; in Honduras

6767-514: The cultures of the region commonly reflect Western traditions . However, relatively small parts of North America in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central America have indigenous populations that continue adhering to their respective pre-European colonial cultural and linguistic traditions. The Americas were named after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci by German cartographers Martin Waldseemüller and Matthias Ringmann . Vespucci explored South America between 1497 and 1502, and

6868-401: The deep south regions of the Canadian province of Alberta . It reaches south to San Bernardino, California on the west and through Tucson, Arizona on the east, reaches west to the Jordan Valley, Oregon area extending southward to Eldorado, Texas , and finally the U.S.-Mexico border , with isolated settlements in Baja California , Chihuahua , and Sonora . Settlements in Utah, south of

6969-447: The driest in the U.S. Highland climates cut from north to south of the continent, where subtropical or temperate climates occur just below the tropics, as in central Mexico and Guatemala . Tropical climates appear in the island regions and in the subcontinent's bottleneck, found in countries and states bathed by the Caribbean Sea or to the south of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean . Precipitation patterns vary across

7070-408: The end of the Canadian Shield, near the Great Lakes . Climate west of the Cascade Range is described as being temperate weather with average precipitation 20 inches (510 millimeters). Climate in coastal California is described to be Mediterranean , with average temperatures in cities like San Francisco ranging from 57 to 70 °F (14 to 21 °C) over the course of the year. Stretching from

7171-400: The evacuation. The military escort of 150 militia men led the remaining members of the Salmon River Indian Mission home. An advance party of ten men were ambushed and missionary Bailey Lake was killed. This attack took Brigham Young by surprise and frustrated his plans to evacuate his followers north. Young had hoped the northern tribes would welcome their alliance and join the Mormons in

7272-416: The expanding Mormon population. The communities also served as waystations for migration and trade centered on Salt Lake City during the mid to late 19th century. Communities in the generally fertile but relatively dry valleys of the Great Basin , Southeastern Idaho, Nevada , and Arizona were dependent on water supplies. Irrigation systems, including wells, dams, canals, headgates, and ditches were among

7373-558: The fight against the United States. In contrast, the attack demonstrated the Bannocks' hostility and a willingness to work with the US army. The attack also forced the closure of Fort Lemhi, a key supply station in the event of a northern evacuation. With nowhere to go, Young began peacemaking efforts with the U.S. government. Throughout the first week of March, Thomas L. Kane had attempted to convince Brigham Young to send provisions to

7474-544: The first American inhabitants sailed from Beringia some 13,000 years ago, with widespread habitation of the Americas during the end of the Last Glacial Period , in what is known as the Late Glacial Maximum , around 12,500 years ago. The oldest petroglyphs in North America date from 15,000 to 10,000 years before present. Genetic research and anthropology indicate additional waves of migration from Asia via

7575-486: The first projects for a new community. Road access to timber in the mountains and pasturage for stock were important, as were carefully tended crops, gardens, and orchards. Brigham Young , LDS Church president (1847–1877), personally supervised the founding of many outlying communities. Exploring parties were sent out to find settlement sites, and to identify sources of appropriate minerals, timber, and water. Historian Leonard J. Arrington asserted that within ten years of

7676-843: The geographic center of either the 50 states, the conterminous United States, or the North American continent." Nonetheless, there is a 4.6-meter (15 ft) field stone obelisk in Rugby claiming to mark the center. The North American continental pole of inaccessibility is located 1,650 km (1,030 mi) from the nearest coastline, between Allen and Kyle, South Dakota at 43°22′N 101°58′W  /  43.36°N 101.97°W  / 43.36; -101.97  ( Pole of Inaccessibility North America ) . Canada can be divided into roughly seven physiographic divisions: The lower 48 U.S. states can be divided into roughly eight physiographic divisions: Mexico can be divided into roughly fifteen physiographic divisions: North America

7777-485: The growing communities of the Salt Lake Valley, the groups would restock needed supplies and materials, gather livestock, and travel on. In addition, new colonizers could be called from the pulpit. Young read the names of men and their families who were "called" to move to outlying regions. These "missions" for church members often lasted for years, as the families were to remain in their assigned area until released from

7878-419: The indigenous people who lived there, including the bison hunters of the Great Plains and the farmers of Mesoamerica . Native groups also are classified by their language families , which included Athapascan and Uto-Aztecan languages. Indigenous peoples with similar languages did not always share the same material culture , however, and were not necessarily always allies. Anthropologists speculate that

7979-460: The land since its creation, but there is no evidence that humans evolved there. The specifics of the initial settlement of the Americas by ancient Asians are subject to ongoing research and discussion. The traditional theory has been that hunters entered the Bering Land Bridge between eastern Siberia and present-day Alaska from 27,000 to 14,000 years ago. A growing viewpoint is that

8080-436: The land. Unable to convince any remaining non-Mormons to trade, Ficklin turned his attention toward the 250 cattle and 40 horses at Fort Lemhi. He was possibly aided by Powell, who had some influence among the Bannocks. On February 25, 1858, Bannock Chief Le Grand Coquin led 250 Bannock and Shoshone warriors in a surprise attack on Fort Lemhi, possibly with John Powell. They killed two Mormon settlers, wounded five, and forced

8181-640: The mainland in Mexico. With local indigenous allies, the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire in central Mexico in 1521. Spain then established permanent cities in Mexico, Central America, and Spanish South America in the sixteenth century. Once Spaniards conquered the high civilization of the Aztecs and Incas, the Caribbean was a backwater of the Spanish empire. Other European powers began to intrude on areas claimed by Spain, including

8282-912: The middle into the main range of the Rockies and the coast ranges in California , Oregon , Washington , and British Columbia , with the Great Basin—a lower area containing smaller ranges and low-lying deserts—in between. The highest peak is Denali in Alaska. The U.S. Geographical Survey (USGS) states that the geographic center of North America is "6 miles [10 km] west of Balta, Pierce County, North Dakota " at about 48°10′N 100°10′W  /  48.167°N 100.167°W  / 48.167; -100.167 , about 24 kilometers (15 mi) from Rugby, North Dakota . The USGS further states that "No marked or monumented point has been established by any government agency as

8383-546: The mission without army supervision. Because Ficklin failed to include the attack in his initial report but later claimed in an affidavit that the Mormons had brought it on themselves, it appeared to coverup a US army attack on civilians. Johnston's official investigation attempted to separate the US army from the Fort Lemhi attack and maintain favorable public opinion. Fort Lemhi was reoccupied in 1862 by miners, who grew vegetables there for sale. The name Lemhi became applied to

8484-450: The name America to North America. In 1538, Gerardus Mercator used the term America on his world map of the entire Western Hemisphere . On his subsequent 1569 map , Mercator called North America "America or New India" ( America sive India Nova ). The Spanish Empire called its territories in North and South America "Las Indias", and the name given to the state body that oversaw the region

8585-493: The northernmost countries and territories of North America: the U.S., Bermuda , Canada, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon. Although the term does not refer to a unified region, Middle America includes Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. North America's largest countries by land area are Canada and the U.S., both of which have well-defined and recognized subregions. In Canada, these include (from east to west) Atlantic Canada , Central Canada , Canadian Prairies ,

8686-440: The northernmost extent of the island named Newfoundland , has provided unmistakable evidence of Norse settlement. Norse explorer Leif Erikson (c. 970–1020 CE) is thought to have visited the area. Erikson was the first European to make landfall on the continent (excluding Greenland). The Mayan culture was still present in southern Mexico and Guatemala when the Spanish conquistadors arrived, but political dominance in

8787-406: The party was made up of entirely civilian volunteers, and not directly under army supervision. On January 4, 1858, around fifty miles east of Fort Lemhi, the party realized the mountaineers had abandoned the area, taking their animals with them. The mountaineers had abandoned their normal winter quarters due to rumors originating from Fort Lemhi that the Mormons were to soon emigrate north and overrun

8888-896: The planet." North America North America is a continent in the Northern and Western Hemispheres . North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean , to the east by the Atlantic Ocean , to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea , and to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean . The region includes the Bahamas , Bermuda , Canada , the Caribbean , Central America , Clipperton Island , Greenland , Mexico , Saint Pierre and Miquelon , Turks and Caicos Islands , and

8989-586: The raised but relatively flat plateau of the Canadian Shield in the northeast; and the varied eastern region, which includes the Appalachian Mountains, the coastal plain along the Atlantic seaboard, and the Florida peninsula. Mexico, with its long plateaus and cordilleras , falls largely in the western region, although the eastern coastal plain does extend south along the Gulf. The western mountains are split in

9090-500: The region, and as such rainforest , monsoon , and savanna types can be found, with rains and high temperatures throughout the year. Notable North American fauna include the bison , black bear , jaguar , cougar , prairie dog , turkey , pronghorn , raccoon , coyote , and monarch butterfly . Notable plants that were domesticated in North America include tobacco , maize , squash , tomato , sunflower , blueberry , avocado , cotton , chile pepper , and vanilla . Laurentia

9191-514: The remaining 69 colonists to retreat to the log fort. They also captured over 200 cattle and 30 horses. In March, after a rescue effort made by Lehi militia members, the colonizers abandoned the fort and returned to Utah. Ficklin returned with Powell to Camp Scott in April, with only about thirty horses, as Le Grand Coquin kept the rest of the animals for himself. The people at Fort Lemhi endured siege conditions for roughly three weeks while waiting for

9292-478: The results of the formation of Pangaea was the Appalachian Mountains , which formed some 480 mya, making it among the oldest mountain ranges in the world. When Pangaea began to rift around 200 mya, North America became part of Laurasia , before it separated from Eurasia as its own continent during the mid- Cretaceous period. The Rockies and other western mountain ranges began forming around this time from

9393-525: The southern United States. Historians James B. Allen and Glen M. Leonard estimate that at least 120 new LDS-based settlements were founded between 1876 and 1879. Mounting legislation and prosecution of polygamists within the Latter-day Saint population in the United States led to additional expansion. In 1884, church president John Taylor encouraged groups of church members in Arizona and New Mexico to cross

9494-438: The surrounding valley, mountains, pass, a branch of the river, county, and Native Americans took on the name "Lemhi." Gaining Native American allies was a key part of Brigham Young's strategy to maintain independence from the United States. Brigham Young and other church leaders taught that by accepting baptism and intermarriage with Mormons, Native Americans would fulfill a Book of Mormon prophecy that Lamanites would return to

9595-567: The upper Missouri among the Native peoples of the Northwest, as they would be stronger military allies than the tribes of the Great Basin. After receiving the report on the Bitterroot Valley, Young decided to visit the area himself and attempt alliances with the Lakota, Blackfoot, Bannock, Nez Perce, Shoshone, and Flathead nations. Brigham Young visited Fort Lemhi in spring of 1857 to turn the mission into

9696-540: Was called the Council of the Indies . The United Nations and its statistics division recognize North America as including three regions: Northern America, Central America , and the Caribbean . "Northern America" is a distinct term from "North America", excluding Central America, which itself may or may not include Mexico . In the limited context of regional trade agreements, the term is used to reference three nations: Canada,

9797-508: Was estimated as over 592 million people in 23 independent states , or about 7.5% of the world's population. In human geography , the terms "North America" and "North American" can refer to Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Greenland or, alternatively, Canada, Greenland and the US (Mexico being classified as part of Latin America ) or simply Canada and the US (Greenland being classified as either Arctic or European (due to its political status as

9898-790: Was in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, followed by additional colonial establishments on the east coast from present-day Georgia in the south to Massachusetts in the north, forming the Thirteen Colonies of British America. The English did not establish settlements north or east of the St. Lawrence Valley in present-day Canada until after the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War . Britain's early settlements in present-day Canada included St. John's, Newfoundland in 1630 and Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749. The first permanent French settlement

9999-710: Was in Quebec City, Quebec in 1608 Fort Lemhi Brigham Young called twenty-seven men from the Salt Lake Valley to form the Salmon River Mission and preach to the "remnants of the House of Jacob," meaning the Native Americans Thomas S. Smith led the group and George Washington Hill served as their main Shoshonean language interpreter. The party travelled about 380 miles north of Salt Lake City to

10100-412: Was not done to make a profit. The community grew to over 200 people. The settlers brought stock raising and irrigated farming to the region, and dug ditches which are still in use. At least three of the Mormon missionaries at Fort Lemhi married Shoshone women. According to tradition, Sacajawea was born in an area near where the fort would eventually stand. She led Lewis and Clark's company through

10201-468: Was the first European to suggest that the Americas represented a landmass not then known to the Europeans. In 1507, Waldseemüller published a world map, and placed the word "America" on the continent of present-day South America. The continent north of present-day Mexico was then referred to as Parias. On a 1553 world map published by Petrus Apianus , North America was called "Baccalearum", meaning "realm of

#915084