occurred such as that of the Martin and Willie handcart companies. Handcart pioneers often sung songs on their strenuous trip to Utah in order to keep their spirits up, and such music played a large role in pioneer community life. Many of the songs that became popular during the journey to Utah reflect the belief held by the pioneers that they were the Lord's chosen people, and that this calling came with a responsibility to act accordingly The songs sung by Mormon pioneers were similar to folk songs sung elsewhere. Folk music at the time typically had themes of love, courtship, and crime, along with the courage, lighthearted nature, and hopefulness of the pioneers. Also conveyed in the music is the pioneers' love for their newfound mountain home, which allowed them to build a community safe from persecution. Members of the LDS Church today still sing a modified version of the "Handcart Song, set to the tune "The King of the Cannibal Islands." <poem> "Handcart Song" (chorus) And some will push and some will pull As we go marching up the hill, So merrily on our way we go Until we reach the valley-o!</poem> The hardships of the pioneers continued upon their arrival in the West, and their first few years in the Great Basin were marked by crop failure, economic hardships, health challenges, fear and animosity towards the federal government, and the push for statehood. Many folk songs from this time reflect the continued struggle of the pioneers in Utah. Other songs convey church teachings and values, such as prayer, familial love, Christian faith and brotherhood, the preaching of the gospel to others, revelation from God, and the joy of worship. Other Mormon folk songs recount historical events such as Utah's Black Hawk War, the construction of the first transcontinental railroad, the Mormon Battalion, the miracle of the gulls, and even imprisonment for polygamy, which was fairly common for polygamist Mormons in the 1880s. These songs were sung both for entertainment and for relaying a shared cultural experience. Songs were also used as a means of storytelling and historical preservation, and many Mormon folk songs provide a surprisingly accurate account of historical events. A few songs expressed the animosity of Mormons toward the United States federal government. Utah had been denied statehood until 1896 on the basis of the political unity found amongst the people of the territory and