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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Crossfield teach his students at the School of the Prophets?

2. Why did Smith write Section 132?

3. How was sex regulated in fundamentalist Mormon communities?

4. Where is the Nephites' gold supposedly held?

5. Why couldn't Smith read the inscription on the gold plates?

Short Essay Questions

1. What were the potential problems with the LDS recognizing personal revelations? Was it possible to correct these problems?

2. Why was Crossfield excommunicated? How much of the LDS rejected him?

3. Why did Debbie Palmer and Flora Jessop act as they did?

4. Why was the LDS most appealing to Americans?

5. Why was Joseph Smith charged with fraud? How did his treasure business compare with his religious revelation?

6. What does Krakauer see as "strange" about the road to Smith's revelation?

7. What is Section 132? Why was it important to Smith?

8. What caused Dan Lafferty's trouble with the law? Was this compensated for in any way through religion?

9. According to Krakauer, how different are modern and fundamentalist Mormons?

10. What is Krakauer's intention with "Under the Banner of Heaven"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Polygamy is the primary conflict addressed in the book. While it was once a general practice of the church, modern Mormons no longer accept it. However, to some extent, it is still practiced. Discuss how Krakauer uses polygamy as a weight in comparing the different sects of the LDS. Why does Krakauer focus on polygamy so much? Why is it a central topic in the church and in Krakauer's findings?

Essay Topic 2

Smith was the original founder of the LDS. Many can still relate to him today, thus continuing the popularity of the Mormon Church, according to Krakauer. Discuss Smith's road to creating the Mormon Church. Do you agree with Krakauer as to why Smith is still popular today?

Essay Topic 3

As a group, the youth of the LDS has had both a positive and a negative role in Mormonism. Discuss this dual role for the LDS youth. Why is the youth group popular with some, yet criticized by others?

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