During, and before, Joseph Smith's time it was believed by many people that the Indians were the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. Although the Book of Mormon does not claim that the Indians are the Lost Ten Tribes, it does claim that they are descendants of Joseph, thus making them Israelites. Because of this similarity anti-Mormon writers have suggested that Joseph Smith borrowed his idea concerning the origin of the Indians from the thinking of his time.

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Several books had been published prior to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon which contained the idea that the Indians were of Israelite origin. One of the books that Joseph Smith could have had access to was the View of the Hebrews. The first edition (printed in 1823) was sold out, and in l825 an enlarge d edition was published.