Culture: Mosiah’s attempts to equalize society were effective in holding his kingdom together. Rather than fission, Nephite society actually expanded in all four directions, founding new “cities and villages.” This rapid expansion apparently occurred after Alma’s arrival. The implication is that this expansion occurred within a brief time period—although it is also possible that Mormon’s choice of location for the statement implies stronger chronology than he meant. He may have simply been summarizing a lengthy period of general increase rather than a short-term set of building projects.
Some of the expansion results from the arrival of the peoples of Alma and Limhi, but they do not seem to account for the multiple cities nor the expansion in all compass directions. Zarahemla is experiencing a population explosion that results in the creation of many cities. Building projects are labor-expensive. Being able to build multiple “large cities” simultaneously is an impressive feat.
Where did this population and increase in available labor come from in such a short time? The most reasonable answer is that Zarahemla annexed other communities as part of its expansion, thus accelerating future expansion. Natural increase would have resulted in a time lag before even numerous children were old enough to become productive builders. Large groups must have been added as a unit. With the addition of these communities, probably already at least hamlets, a Zarahemla-centered population was large enough to build new cities, thus furthering the centralizing and unifying trend. The new communities were built up largely from people who were already there but who lacked the more complex city organizations. (See description of the development of Cerros in the commentary accompanying Mosiah 23:13.) The internal descriptions of the Book of Mormon best fit the model of many other peoples in the land who are being variously incorporated into the Nephites rather than the “Nephites/Lamanites were alone” premise.
History: Mormon mentions that cities and villages were built “in all quarters of the land.” Mesoamerican cultures bestowed a strong significance on the number four, based upon the four cardinal points. That conceptual division of the world into four quarters carried over into the establishment of other social systems that relied upon four parts: “In an effort to keep the traditions of their fathers alive, the Nahua and Maya nations established four rulers, four governors, or four chiefs, each responsible for one quadrant of land. In Mexico we find that the four executive officers were the chiefs or representatives of the four quarters of the City of Mexico.… The entire dominion of Mexico was also divided into four equal quarters, the administration of which was attended to by four lords.”
Redaction: See commentary accompanying Helaman 3:8 for a discussion of the use of the cardinal points to indicate “everywhere.”