By the end of the 18th century, the outlook for American Christianity was not rosy, and memories of the First Great Awakening were fading. The chaos of the Revolutionary War era had greatly affected religious life. The beginning of the new century brought religious activity unique in all of world history. This period, now known as the Second Great Awakening, brought with it the emergence of Mormonism. There was an optimistic sense of a new beginning for religion. Society was transforming rapidly, with religion emerging as a force that helped shape broader social problems. Many desired a return to the past and sought to recover it by recreating New Testament Christianity. Some religious groups declared themselves independent seekers because they were dissatisfied with existing religious authority. They desired a more powerful religious experience than that provided by the existing church, giving birth to many new religions. New groups often shared theological concepts with more traditional churches, but innovation led beyond Christian orthodoxy. Among the many new groups that emerged were the Mormons. Early Mormonism reflects the social and religious environment of Western New York during the Second Great Awakening and during the time of a young man named Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith Jr. lived in the "burnt borough" of Western New York in the early 1800s. In 1816 Joseph Jr. arrived in New York with his parents Joseph Smith, Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, seeking a better future as they distanced themselves from their Calvinist heritage. Like many around them, the Smiths were Christians but did not feel obligated to adhere to a particular denomination. Although Joseph Jr. seemed interested in Methodism, he found disagreements between... middle of paper... m, the Nauvoo-era Endowment, and the Second Anointing ordinance. He also created the Anointed Quorem, a new internal council of the church containing both men and women. In 1844, Smith organized a secret church council called the "Kingdom Council". Some of the practices were hailing Joseph Smith as “Prophet, Priest, and King” in addition to polygamy. There was a threat to publish these secret practices in a newspaper, so Smith ordered the press destroyed. This action intensified anti-Mormon hostility and led to Smith's arrest by the state government. While in a Carthage prison, Smith was murdered by a mob on June 27, 1844. His unexpected death led to conflict and crisis, but successors continued his church and beliefs. The “prophet” Joseph Smith left behind a religion that would spread throughout the land and become universal.