The Problem With Polygamy Polygamy The practice or

The Problem With Polygamy

Polygamy: The practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time. One wife may be legal while the others are Spiritual marriages but are not legally recognized. Polygyny: When there are more women to one man. Polyandry: When a woman has more than one husband. Bigamy: When someone legally marries more than one person.

Nobody knows for sure when or where polygamy started. The first record of polygamy was in the bible in the old testament. In the United States it was believed that a leader of the Mormon church named Joseph Smith started polygamy.

• There is no exact number of people who participate in polygamy, but it is spread throughout the world. • In 2006 there were approximately 180, 000 people living in polygamist households in France. • Fundamentalist Mormons or Christian polygamist are estimated as high as 50, 000. • Members of the Apostolic United Brethren says it has 7, 500 members across the West and in Mexico.

Misdemeanor Felony All forms of cohabitation outlawed

1862 1874 • Morrill Antibigamy Act • Designed to punish and prevent people from practicing polygamy. • Was not enforced when put into place because of money and the Civil war. • Poland Act • ”This law stated that all polygamy cases would be tried in federal courts with federally appointed judges. This way, Mormon judges or juries couldn't just dismiss the cases. ”

1882 1887 1890 • Edmunds Act • Made it so people living in polygamy could not have anything to do with jury service, public office, and voting. • Edmunds-Tucker Act • Froze the churches assets exceeding $50, 000 • The President of the church, Wilford Woodruff, issued the Woodruff Manifesto that ended plural marriage.