Starting in 1817, DeWitt Clinton, the governor of New York, undertook the construction of the Erie Canal in order to spur economic development in the state. Canal construction, completed in 1825, brought capital and immigrants to the Palmyra-Manchester area. This period also saw revivals and heightened religious activity as a prelude to what historians have referred to as the "Second Great Awakening." Religious activity in this region of upstate New York grew so intense, the area came to be referred to as "the burned over district." Like most families in the area, the Smiths were affected in varying degrees by the revivalism. Joseph's mother and some of his siblings affiliated themselves with the Presbyterian Church during this time. Joseph may have attended Methodist camp meetings and classes. Joseph's father appears to have remained aloof from any organized religion.
Years later (after the Saints had moved to Kirtland), Joseph claimed that he had received his first vision around this time. There are three different extant accounts of this "first" vision, each claiming a different date, and variously describing the presence of angels, mentioning only one personage or two, and describing slightly different messages. The account that has been canonized by the church, not published until 1842, places the vision in 1820 and describes it as a visitation of God the Father and Jesus Christ, telling Joseph that all the churches in the world at that time had fallen into apostasy, and that he should join none of them. Some historians have argued that Joseph did not make this vision part of the public record until later, because he regarded it as personal, not related to his public prophetic ministry (which began after the visitation of the angel Moroni). Nevertheless, the account has become an important part of the modern church's lore regarding the prophetic ministry and calling of Joseph Smith.