The name Jonestown will forever be associated with mass suicide.

The name Jonestown will forever be associated with mass suicide.

 Jim Jones started his Peoples Temple in Indiana as a Christian fellowship. He was out to save the world. In 1974 he brought his small flock to land he had rented in the nation of Guyana. It was called Jonestown and it was a success. In four years it had grown to nearly 1,000 people.

 But Jonestown was also attracting attention from the U.S. government. In 1978 Congressman Leo Ryan flew to Jonestown to investigate allegations of abuse. Ryan agreed to take some dissatisfied cult members home with him. At the airport, Jonestown security guards opened fired on the deserters. Among the dead was the Congressman.

The next day, Jones ordered all his followers to drink a cyanide-laced drink. It’s not clear how many knew it was poisoned, or how many were forced to drink it. 

More than 300 of the dead were minors and half of those were under 10. In all, More than 900 people died, including Jones. He didn’t poison himself, though. He died from a gunshot wound to the head. It was the largest mass death of American civilians until the attacks of 9/11.

 Jim Jones started his Peoples Temple in Indiana as a Christian fellowship. He was out to save the world. In 1974 he brought his small flock to land he had rented in the nation of Guyana. It was called Jonestown and it was a success. In four years it had grown to nearly 1,000 people.

 But Jonestown was also attracting attention from the U.S. government. In 1978 Congressman Leo Ryan flew to Jonestown to investigate allegations of abuse. Ryan agreed to take some dissatisfied cult members home with him. At the airport, Jonestown security guards opened fired on the deserters. Among the dead was the Congressman.

The next day, Jones ordered all his followers to drink a cyanide-laced drink. It’s not clear how many knew it was poisoned, or how many were forced to drink it. More than 300 of the dead were minors and half of those were under 10. In all, More than 900 people died, including Jones. He didn’t poison himself, though. He died from a gunshot wound to the head. It was the largest mass death of American civilians until the attacks of 9/11.

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