JONESTOWN MASSACRE

Jim Jones• Born 1931, USA.

• Began life as a respected Reverend....

• ....but soon became obsessed with religion.

• Joined USA Communist party.

• Had extreme views about how society should be run.

• In 1977, he created a cult called “The People’s Temple”.

The People’s Temple

• Jim Jones wanted The People’s Temple to be a community where everybody lived equally.

• People joined because he promised them freedom and unity.

• Jones convinced others of his beliefs by using religion and claimed to be God and Buddha on numerous occasions.

Jonestown• Jones wanted his cult to move away from

the USA.• So he built a village called Jonestown in

Guyana, South America.• He called it a ‘Socialists Paradise’.

• However, it was the opposite.• There was cramped living conditions,

couples were forced to live apart, and members had to work up to 11 hours a day in the jungle heat.

Congressman Ryan

• US Authorities, including Congressman Ryan, went to investigate Jonestown.

• He found people wanted to leave but Jones kept them against their will.

• Ryan tried shut down Jonestown and help people escape.

• However, as Ryan was boarding his plane, he was shot dead by Jones’ Men.

Mass Suicide• Jones knew his cult was under threat. • So he convinced the people back in Jonestown to take

part in a “Revolutionary Suicide”.• People were too scared to shout out or try to escape.

• A large vat was filled with grape flavoured juice and cyanide.

• Children were given the poison first, followed by mothers then the rest of the congregation.

• If members were not co-operative, guards had guns to shoot them.

• It took approximately 5 minutes to die. • Jones died from a gun shot to the head.

• 912 people died from the poison

“Revolutionary Suicide”

Jones had explained his ‘revolutionary suicide’ as the most dignified way to die.

He said they must chose to kill themselves instead of be killed by Capitalist society.

Jones said "I don't care how many screams you hear, death is a million times preferable to ten more days of this life.”

Obeying Authority

• Obeying AuthorityPeople obeyed Jones’ orders because he was a strong leader and gave himself a powerful identity.

• Internalisation Some people were completely brainwashed by Jones and did anything he sad. hey completely accepted Jones’ views and made his beliefs their beliefs too.

However some people wanted to leave after a certain point, and only killed themselves because they were forced to.

• Minority influenceJim Jones persuaded over 900 people to follow him to another country and kill themselves, all on his own.

• Informative social influence People followed Jones because he seemed to be more wise than them, claiming to be God.

• Authorities in America should have responded to the problems earlier.

• They should have sent more men to rescue the people in Jonestown.

• People could have stood up to Jones as a group rather than individuals.

How Could It Be Avoided?