Jonestown MassacreJonestown Massacre

JonestownJonestown

Peoples Temple, formed in Peoples Temple, formed in Indianapolis during 1950’sIndianapolis during 1950’s

Jim Jones- Cult leaderJim Jones- Cult leader 140 followers moved with Jones to 140 followers moved with Jones to

Redwood Valley in Mendocino Redwood Valley in Mendocino County, CaliforniaCounty, California

Felt they would be safe from fallout Felt they would be safe from fallout in case of a nuclear attack on United in case of a nuclear attack on United States if they lived thereStates if they lived there

Late 1960’s: congregation down to Late 1960’s: congregation down to less than 100- on verge of collapseless than 100- on verge of collapse

Jones had Peoples Temple form an Jones had Peoples Temple form an affiliation with Disciples of Christaffiliation with Disciples of Christ

Membership started to go upMembership started to go up Jones had larger influence in West Jones had larger influence in West

Coast areaCoast area Moved group to San Francisco in Moved group to San Francisco in

19711971 Opened another church in Los Opened another church in Los

AngelesAngeles

Jones: in San Francisco, was Jones: in San Francisco, was appointed to city commissions and appointed to city commissions and made grants to local newspapers with made grants to local newspapers with goal of supporting First Amendmentgoal of supporting First Amendment

Scandals and investigations started to Scandals and investigations started to go on in San Frango on in San Fran

Jones decided to leave to create Jones decided to leave to create utopian community in Guyanautopian community in Guyana

Would have absolute power over his Would have absolute power over his members since they were far away members since they were far away from US authorities/intervention or from US authorities/intervention or relatives of membersrelatives of members

1974- leased over 3000 acres of 1974- leased over 3000 acres of jungle land from the Guyanese jungle land from the Guyanese governmentgovernment

Members of Peoples Temple began Members of Peoples Temple began construction of Jonestown under construction of Jonestown under supervision of senior members who supervision of senior members who were assigned by Joneswere assigned by Jones

1977: membership was at 50, in 1978 1977: membership was at 50, in 1978 it was at over 900it was at over 900

Members thought Guyana was going Members thought Guyana was going to be a paradise- Jones had promisedto be a paradise- Jones had promised

All of the residents, including the All of the residents, including the children, raised food and animals for children, raised food and animals for “Peoples Temple Agricultural Project”“Peoples Temple Agricultural Project”

Work was 6 days a week, 7 in Work was 6 days a week, 7 in morning to 6 in eveningmorning to 6 in evening

Temperatures reached over 100 Temperatures reached over 100 degreesdegrees

Meals would consist of rice and Meals would consist of rice and beans while Jones ate meat and other beans while Jones ate meat and other refrigerated foodsrefrigerated foods

Cruel and unusual punishment used Cruel and unusual punishment used against members considered to be against members considered to be serious disciplinary problemsserious disciplinary problems

Imprisonment in a 6 by 4 by 3 foot Imprisonment in a 6 by 4 by 3 foot plywood box and forcing children to plywood box and forcing children to spend a night at the bottom of a wellspend a night at the bottom of a well

Members who tried to run away were Members who tried to run away were drugged to the point of incapacitationdrugged to the point of incapacitation

Armed guards patrolled compound Armed guards patrolled compound day and night to ensure Jones’s day and night to ensure Jones’s orders were followedorders were followed

Children were in communal careChildren were in communal care Addressed Jones as “Dad”Addressed Jones as “Dad” Only allowed to see real parents Only allowed to see real parents

briefly at nightbriefly at night Jones was called “Father” or “Dad” Jones was called “Father” or “Dad”

by adults as wellby adults as well

Guyanese locals have told horror Guyanese locals have told horror stories of punishments, and the stories of punishments, and the “torture hole” where children were put “torture hole” where children were put in the middle of the nightin the middle of the night

He told children there was a monster He told children there was a monster living in the bottom of the wellliving in the bottom of the well

Had people pull and tug children Had people pull and tug children when they went into wellwhen they went into well

““White Nights” –rehearsed mass suicidesWhite Nights” –rehearsed mass suicides In practice nights, people were told they In practice nights, people were told they

would die, were forced to drink would die, were forced to drink unsweetened Flavor Aid, told it unsweetened Flavor Aid, told it contained poisoncontained poison

Only after everyone drank the Only after everyone drank the concoction were they informed they was concoction were they informed they was no poisonno poison

This was a test of loyalty and faith in This was a test of loyalty and faith in JonesJones

Phrase “Drinking the kool-aid” came Phrase “Drinking the kool-aid” came from thisfrom this

November 1978November 1978 Congressman Leo Ryan, Democrat Congressman Leo Ryan, Democrat

from San Francisco, flew to Jonestownfrom San Francisco, flew to Jonestown Team of 18 people, officials, media Team of 18 people, officials, media

representatives, members of group representatives, members of group “Concerned Relatives of Peoples “Concerned Relatives of Peoples Temple Members”Temple Members”

They intended to investigate They intended to investigate allegations that human rights were allegations that human rights were being violated daily at the Peoples being violated daily at the Peoples Temple, individuals being held Temple, individuals being held against their free will, individuals against their free will, individuals had their money and passports had their money and passports confiscated, mass suicide rehearsals confiscated, mass suicide rehearsals were being conductedwere being conducted

Ryan and group cameRyan and group came Some Peoples Temple members Some Peoples Temple members

moved to defectmoved to defect Others left the colony, Jones was Others left the colony, Jones was

angry when he found outangry when he found out

Ryan did not have a large enough Ryan did not have a large enough plane to carry those who wanted to plane to carry those who wanted to leave, they would have to schedule leave, they would have to schedule another flightanother flight

Member of Temple, on Jones’s Member of Temple, on Jones’s orders, attacked Ryan with knifeorders, attacked Ryan with knife

A loyalist demanded to join group A loyalist demanded to join group leavingleaving

People on plane did not like idea, but People on plane did not like idea, but Ryan said that they would take Ryan said that they would take anyone who wanted to leaveanyone who wanted to leave

Loyalist opened fire right before take Loyalist opened fire right before take offoff

A tractor appeared, circled plane and A tractor appeared, circled plane and opened fireopened fire

Shooting was filmed, even though Shooting was filmed, even though cameraman was killedcameraman was killed

Congressman Ryan and some news Congressman Ryan and some news team members were killedteam members were killed

Mass murder/suicideMass murder/suicide

Jim Jones called a meeting of the Jim Jones called a meeting of the community- Nov 18, 1978community- Nov 18, 1978

He told the people that Ryan was He told the people that Ryan was going to be killed and that that would going to be killed and that that would cause an attack on Jonestown and cause an attack on Jonestown and everyone would be killedeveryone would be killed

Mixed cyanide and Valium into a Mixed cyanide and Valium into a metal vat full of grape “Flavor Aid” a metal vat full of grape “Flavor Aid” a Kool-Aid knock-offKool-Aid knock-off

Caused death in about 5 minutesCaused death in about 5 minutes No one who drank the poison that No one who drank the poison that

evening survivedevening survived

Babies and small children were first, Babies and small children were first, over two hundred of themover two hundred of them

Poured into mouths with syringesPoured into mouths with syringes Afterward were the adults with paper Afterward were the adults with paper

cups of poisoncups of poison Told to lie down together along Told to lie down together along

walkways walkways

Jones was dead as well from a Jones was dead as well from a gunshot wound. No one knows if he gunshot wound. No one knows if he committed suicide or if someone else committed suicide or if someone else shot himshot him

Many thought this was just another Many thought this was just another rehearsal and did not see the people rehearsal and did not see the people convulsing and dyingconvulsing and dying

Some armed guards had to shoot Some armed guards had to shoot people who were resistingpeople who were resisting

909 Temple members died and 5 909 Temple members died and 5 others (including Ryan)others (including Ryan)

Why did this happen?Why did this happen?

How could one man achieve such How could one man achieve such control?control?

Jim Jones had a paranoid belief that Jim Jones had a paranoid belief that the American government was the American government was plotting to destroy anyone who was plotting to destroy anyone who was involved in the Peoples Templeinvolved in the Peoples Temple

Jones had always removed the Jones had always removed the “threats” to the safety of his “threats” to the safety of his followersfollowers

They learned to trust him and call They learned to trust him and call him “Father” him “Father”

Self-sufficient communitySelf-sufficient community Everyone would be equalEveryone would be equal

VisionaryVisionary

Drew himself to the outcasts of society, Drew himself to the outcasts of society, as well as those who wanted to help the as well as those who wanted to help the downtrodden, serve those in needdowntrodden, serve those in need

Preached the need for racial Preached the need for racial brotherhood and integrationbrotherhood and integration

Both black and white worshipped side Both black and white worshipped side by sideby side

Congregation worked to feed the Congregation worked to feed the poor, find employment for the poor, find employment for the jobless, and help ex-criminals and jobless, and help ex-criminals and drug addicts put their lives back drug addicts put their lives back togethertogether

Started to put more and more Started to put more and more demands on congregationdemands on congregation

Started promising miraculous healings Started promising miraculous healings where cancers would be removed and where cancers would be removed and the blind made to seethe blind made to see

Recruits would witness a community of Recruits would witness a community of brotherhood and fellowship where brotherhood and fellowship where everyone, no matter their social everyone, no matter their social standing or color, was treated as equalsstanding or color, was treated as equals

Severe initiation was required by new Severe initiation was required by new members, made entry that much members, made entry that much more desirablemore desirable

Created a much higher level of Created a much higher level of commitment from memberscommitment from members

More that was sacrificed, more that More that was sacrificed, more that was achievedwas achieved

By the time the members thought By the time the members thought demands were oppressive, they were demands were oppressive, they were so heavily committed they just so heavily committed they just accepted itaccepted it

Demands on member’s time, Demands on member’s time, financial commitment would financial commitment would increase, amounts given recorded increase, amounts given recorded openlyopenly

Highest level of commitment was Highest level of commitment was when the individual or family lived at when the individual or family lived at the Peoples Temple facilities- the Peoples Temple facilities- handing over all personal property, handing over all personal property, savings, and social security checkssavings, and social security checks

Communal livingCommunal living Capitalism was evil and destructiveCapitalism was evil and destructive

Achievement of higher spirituality Achievement of higher spirituality would require a struggle against own would require a struggle against own weaknessesweaknesses

Usually had isolated themselves from Usually had isolated themselves from family and friends, couldn’t admit family and friends, couldn’t admit mistakes, would be alone without a mistakes, would be alone without a support groupsupport group

If you left the complex, you had no If you left the complex, you had no passport, papers, or money to help passport, papers, or money to help you escapeyou escape