Jim Jones History

Jim Jones is known today for the cruel and unlawful acts he forced upon hundreds of innocent people. This date in history “remains the only time in which a U.S. congressman was killed in the line of duty.” “On November 18, 1978, People’s Temple leader Jim Jones” ordered an abundance of people to commit a “suicide act” by drinking poisoned fruit punch (Rosenberg).

In 1956, Jim Jones founded the People’s Temple, which was a “racially segregated church” that targeted to help people that were struggling. First founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, the church was later displaced in Redwood Valley, California. Jones dreamed of a perfect communist community, “in which everyone lived together in harmony and worked for the common good.” He managed to do this in the establishment in California, but still wasn’t completely satisfied. Jones’s next thought was to move his compound far from the United States, away “from any influence of the United States government.” Here, the People’s Temple members could “help others in the area,” and Jones would have complete control over his newly relocated compound (Rosenberg).

The establishment that Jones had dreamed of was finally coming true. “Jones found a remote location in the South American country of Guyana that fit his needs. In 1973, he leased some land to the Guyanese government and had workers begin clearing it of jungle.” However, the construction of the new compound was rather slow, due to the fact that “all building supplies needed to be shipped in to the Jonestown Agricultural Settlement.” At first, there were very few people living in the new settlement, but as soon as an “exposé article” was printed, “Jim Jones and several hundred People’s Temple members flew to Guyana” (Rosenberg).

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... children were brought up first. Syringes were used to pour the poisoned juice into their mouths. Mothers then drank some of the poisoned punch.” As the congregation went through line, members who were against this idea were “encouraged with crossbows and guns.” “Later that day more than 900 members of the Peoples Temple died in a mass suicide ceremony” (Sachs). “A few people managed to escape into the jungle that day, while at least several dozen more People’s Temple members, including several of Jones’ sons, were in another part of Guyana at the time” (900 Die at Jonestown).

Jim Jones planned the sequence of events in killing hundreds of people and unfortunately, his plan worked. Since many people died on that day, the Jonestown Massacre is considered a very important part of history, and also one that people, today, remember the tragic loss of their loved ones.