The book is a religious record of ancient peoples in the Americas, mainly the Nephites and the Lamanites.
The Lamanites descend from Laman, Nephi's elder brother, who rebelled against him.
The early Lamanites are pictured as nomadic, warlike, wicked and heathen.
Some Lamanites convert and at times become more righteous than the Nephites.
The Anti-Nephi-Lehies, Lamanite converts of around 90 BC, made a covenant never to go to war and buried their weapons.