Date of Award

5-1998

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

History

Committee Chair(s)

Anne M. Butler

Committee

Anne M. Butler

Abstract

In 1847, the Mormons entered the Great Basin and under the direction of Brigham Young, began an era of cooperation. The cooperative efforts of the Mormons extended to all aspects of their economic life and was designed to bring about a self-sufficient community. This paper examines three geographic areas in Utah and, using a comparative framework, studies the cooperative efforts of Mormon women from these regions with regards to three business initiatives: cooperative stores, sericulture (silk culture), and grain storage. Within this context, the economic impact of Mormon women on their communities, through the church's female organization, the relief society, is analyzed and discussed, demonstrating the significant contribution these women had on Mormon economic endeavors and their own lives.

Included in

History Commons

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