Anti-Mormon Party (Illinois)

The Anti-Mormon Party in Illinois was a political entity active primarily in the 1840s, arising in response to the increasing political and economic power of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as Mormons, in the state. Specifically, its activity centered around the Mormon settlement of Nauvoo.

Driven by a combination of religious prejudice, fears of Mormon bloc voting, concerns over the growing political influence wielded by Joseph Smith (the church's founder), and economic anxieties, the Anti-Mormon Party sought to curtail Mormon influence in Illinois. Key tenets of the party's platform revolved around restricting Mormon immigration into the state, preventing Mormons from holding public office, and overturning special charters granted to the city of Nauvoo and the Nauvoo Legion (the city's militia).

The party's efforts played a significant role in the escalating tensions between Mormons and non-Mormons in Illinois. These tensions ultimately contributed to the events leading to the death of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum at Carthage Jail in 1844. After Smith's death and the subsequent decision by the majority of Mormons to migrate westward, the Anti-Mormon Party's influence and activity diminished significantly, eventually fading away.