Jonestown Massacre Research Paper

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The Impact of the Jonestown Massacre The 20th century is characterize with different events, inventions, architectural works, arts, literacy works, and music. Also, it has both historical and cultural impact that has bleed into the 21st century. One historical event that has these aspects is the Jonestown massacre. The massacre has been a tragedy that is mentioned today in our society. Jonestown massacre that took place on November 18, 1978 was an event that has cultural significance and is still important on us today. The event involved more than nine hundred people who died in a mass suicide murder under the direction of their leader, Jim Jones (1931-78). The people were in an American cult called the People’s Temple. Jim Jones was a powerful preacher and a very controlling man. In the 1950s, he found the People’s Temple in Indiana. He then relocated to California in the 1960s. The next year brought negative media attention and many investigations toward his group. This influenced him to move to Guyana, …show more content…
Innocent children and adults were involved in the event. Some thought that brainwashing was used in order to manipulate their actions. “How, it was repeatedly asked, was it possible for adult men and women, at least some of whom were reasonably well educated, to agree to take their own lives at the behest of a man who, in the eyes of most people, were surely nothing but a raving lunatic?” (Barker 331). When members of the People’s Temple tried to escape or go against Jones’ orders, they received punishment. Maybe they were too scared to do anything about it and couldn’t get outside help. When Ryan came and they asked him for help, he was killed the next day. Some came to the conclusion that Jones probably found out about this and decided to do something about it, which involved
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