Spain were known as Moriscos. Early in
the 1600s the Spanish drove the
Moriscos out of Spain because of their
political and religious beliefs. Most of
them moved to northern Africa. Today
descendants of the Moriscos live along
the coasts of Morocco and Algeria in
northwestern Africa. Sometimes they are
still called Moors.
#More to explore
Arabs • Islam
Moose
The moose is the largest animal of the
deer family. It is best known for its large
head and antlers. The scientific name of
the moose is Alces alces. Moose are called
elk in Europe.
Moose live in Canada, Alaska, and the
Rocky Mountain region of the United
States. They are also found in the northern
forests of Europe and Asia. They like
to be near rivers, ponds, and lakes.
The Alhambra is a palace and fortress
overlooking the town of Granada in Spain.
It was home to the Moors who ruled parts
of Spain from the AD 700s to 1492.
180 Moor BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Moose are heavy, long-legged animals. A
full-grown male may stand more than 7
feet (2.1 meters) tall at the shoulders
and weigh more than 1,400 pounds
(635 kilograms). Females, or cows, are
slightly smaller. A moose’s fur is thick
and dark brown, though it can look
reddish or almost black.
Only a male moose grows antlers. The
antlers are flattened with upright points
and may spread more than 5 feet (1.5
meters) across. Each year, a male will
lose and then regrow its antlers. As the
antlers grow, they are covered with a
protective skin, called velvet. The velvet
eventually rubs off.
Moose are active during the day, especially
at dusk and dawn. They have a
good sense of hearing and smell, but
they do not see very well. Moose rarely
run. However, they are good swimmers.
They eat water plants such as pondweed
and water lilies. They also eat grasses,
herbs, twigs, and bark.
#More to explore
Deer
Mormon
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints are known as Mormons.
The church is based in Salt Lake
City, Utah. Its main holy books are the
Bible and the Book of Mormon.
Beliefs
Joseph Smith, the religion’s founder,
believed that Christianity had gone
astray in its beliefs and practices. In
creating Mormonism, he sought to
restore the “true” Christian church.
Mormons share the Christian belief that
Jesus came to Earth to save humankind.
But Mormonism differs from most
forms of Christianity in many ways. For
example, Mormons believe that the way
they live will affect whether they are
An adult male moose stands in water.
Brigham Young was an important president
of the Mormon church. In the 1840s he led
Mormon settlers to what is now the U.S.
state of Utah.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mormon 181
saved. They also believe that faithful
members of the church will eventually
become gods.
Practices
Faithful Mormons attend worship services
regularly. They must not drink
alcohol, tea, or coffee or use tobacco.
Young people are encouraged to help
spread the faith through missionary
work for 18–24 months.
Mormons become church members
through baptism, a ceremony that
involves being blessed with water. Adults
also undergo baptism on behalf of their
dead ancestors who were not Mormons.
They believe that this allows their ancestors
to enter God’s highest eternal kingdom.
History
Smith said that in 1827 an angel gave
him sacred writings. Smith published
these writings as the Book of Mormon in
1830 and began to organize a new
church.
Smith established religious communities
in Ohio and Missouri, but people in
Missouri were hostile toward the Mormons.
Many Mormons moved to Illinois
to found a new city. There, the
Mormons’ wealth and political power
upset their neighbors. In 1844 Smith
was arrested and was murdered while in
jail.
Brigham Young soon became president
of the church. Growing violence against
the Mormons led Young to lead them on
a long journey to what is now Utah.
But not all Mormons accepted Young as
their leader. Some who rejected him
remained behind and formed another
church. Today, this church is known as
the Community of Christ.
In 1849 the Utah Mormons applied for
statehood. The U.S. government refused
them, mostly because the Mormons
engaged in polygamy—a practice in
which a man has more than one wife at
a time. The Mormon church ended the
practice of polygamy in 1890. Utah
became a state in 1896.
In the 1900s the church’s missionaries
won many converts. By 2000 the church
had about 11 million members worldwide.
#More to explore
Christianity • Jesus Christ • Salt Lake
City • Utah
A large Mormon temple stands
in Temple Square in Salt Lake
City, Utah.
Mormon
temples are
different from
Mormon
churches.
Temples are
open to
Mormons only.
182 Mormon BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Morocco
The Kingdom of Morocco is the only
country in Africa with coastlines on
both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean
Sea. Rabat is the capital.
Geography
Morocco sits at the northwestern edge of
Africa. It shares borders with Algeria and
the territory ofWestern Sahara.
Morocco has controlledWestern Sahara
since the 1970s.
The Atlas Mountains divide Morocco
into eastern and western halves. The Rif
Mountains run along the Mediterranean
