Final answer:
Brigham Young led the Mormons to the Great Salt Lake, which became a U.S. territory after the Mexican-American War. The area was heavily influenced by the LDS Church, with Young appointed as governor, and non-Mormons faced challenges in legal and business matters.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Salt Lake City bidding process, Brigham Young played a pivotal role as the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) after the death of Joseph Smith. Young managed to guide the first group of 12,000 Mormons on a strenuous 1,300-mile journey from Nauvoo to the vicinity of the Great Salt Lake, a previously Mexican territory, during the years 1846-1847. The migration continued from 1848-1860, with the church encouraging the use of handcarts instead of conventional wagons, leading to the establishment of a significant cultural region centered around the Great Temple in Salt Lake City, which remains a symbol of the Mormon economic power.
Following the Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Utah, including the Salt Lake City area, became part of the United States. In the year 1860, Utah was designated as a U.S. territory by Congress, and Brigham Young was appointed as the territorial governor. This period was challenging for non-Mormons in the area, as documented in the experiences of individuals who found that written contracts held little value in a territory effectively controlled by Young and the LDS Church.