Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Pioneer Day

“Wagons, ho!” The cry is called as the early Latter Day Saints push forward. Wagons and oxen and people alike walk as they complete the last day of the trek to the Salt Lake Valley. The day is July 24th, 1847. As you read this paper you will learn the special story of this day, how it is celebrated, and other intriguing facts. So read on to travel on your own trek.

            On June 27, 1844, everything changed. The leader of the Mormon, or LDS, church was assassinated. Within years it was decided that the early members of this faith needed to leave their homes again, and they left with only what they absolutely needed, making their way across the plains towards Utah. As they made their way cross country they faced many troubles. Rain was a large one. The Saints crossed many people and finally they arrived in Utah on the 24th of July in 1847. They were never chased away and the land was theirs. Everything was good and right and peaceful.

The Saints marked the day as an important holiday and it later became the day that Utah officially became a state whether it was meant to happen or not. The day is also a common birthday. But it is most known for being Utah’s birthday and Pioneer Day for those who are of the LDS faith or live in Utah.

Pioneer Day is celebrated in many Mormon congregations and families. Parades, carnivals, picnics, barbeques, fireworks, reenactments of the trek across the country, all are ways to celebrate Pioneer Day, or Days of ’47.

Approximately once every four years a Trek is held in which the youth or ward members gather together and create costumes and wagons and gather supplies and go on a miniature trek that lasts a few days in which they pull hand carts and travel like the pioneers once did, reminding them of their history and even humbling them, showing them that they have so much.

Parades, picnics, barbecues, costume contests, carnivals and, concerts are other common ways to celebrate this historic day. Some families will go on personal treks while others may not acknowledge it at all, or even realize it is a day. But as you read this paper you are learning that it is one in fact.

Pioneer Day is many things but boring is not one of them. As you conclude this paper you will realize just how many little known facts there are and things that don’t fit in anywhere else. These things will be presented as the last few ‘obstacles’ before you arrive at your own version of the Salt Lake Valley, which is most likely where you are sitting right now.

Pioneer Day has symbols, like many other things. An almost cliché one is a covered wagon or handcart whereas another one that is lesser known are the beehive, Utah's state emblem.

Another fun fact, as they could be called, is that Pioneer Day is not the day the Saints actually originally arrived in Utah. Scouts arrived two days previously on the 22nd of July.

“Wagons, ho!” The cry is now useless as the Saints arrived in Utah long ago and now rest there safe and sound. You have gone on your own personal trek as you traveled through this paper, learning just what Pioneer Day is and was. The day is no longer July 24th, 1847 and it is in fact just over 150 years later. But of course, after this paper is done and read, it won’t matter anymore.


Works Cited

Maxwell, Marsha. Salt Lake City July 24th Pioneer Day Events. 2012. Marsha Maxwell.

About.com. 12 November 2012. <http://saltlakecity.about.com/od/arts/tp/Salt-

Lake-City-July-24th-Pioneer-Day-Events.htm>

 

Butters, Whitney. Utah Pioneer Day celebrations. 24 July 2012. Whitney Butters.

Deseret News. 12 November 2012.

<http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705387988/Utah-Pioneer-Day-celebrations.html?pg=all.>

 

 

Bruner, Rachel. What is Pioneer Day? About.com. 12 November 2012.

Shipps, Jan. A Religious Ritual Wrapped in a Civic Event. July 2002. Jan Shipps.
Beliefnet.com. 12 November 2012.

Leem, Susan. Pioneer Day: A Mormon Celebration of Ancestry. 18 July 2012. 12
celebration-ancestry/4761.>

Pioneer Day in United States. 12 November 2012.

< http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/pioneer-day.>






so I wrote this for school on pioneer day to celebrate my early birthday. it's my birthday, a holiday in my religion (lds.mormon) and overall it's just cool. and one of the most critical kids in my class liked it (i was beyond shocked) so yeah here yah go

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