Jonestown

Conspiracy
Theory

Emily MacMillan, Sophia Marlow, and Kayla

Masterson
 Objectives

Language:

- Students will be able to identify the similarities and

differences between the definitions they constructed prior
to the lesson of the six vocabulary words, that meanings
correlate to the Jonestown Conspiracy theory, to the
actual definitions presented during the lesson.

Content:

Students will be able to identify specific characteristic

traits of Jim Jones, and describe how he used these traits
to psychological manipulation members of the cult.

Students will be able to apply the information they learned

about Jonestown to construct their own summaries that
consist of what they personally would think, do and or say
if one was a member in the cult.
Vocabulary
 Conspiracy Theory
teoría de la conspiración
● A belief that some covert but influential organization is
responsible for a circumstance or event.
 Jonestown
jonestown
● The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better
known by its informal name "Jonestown", was a
remote settlement in Guyana, established by the
Peoples Temple, a San Francisco-based cult under
the leadership of Jim Jones
 Psychological
psicológica

● Of, affecting, or arising in the mind; related to the

mental and emotional state of a person
● Jim Jones was a man who used psychological
manipulation to run his cult.
 Cult
culto

● A religious group that not part of a larger and more

accepted religion and that has beliefs many believe
to be extreme or dangerous
 Mass genocide
genocidio masivo

● Mass extermination of a particular group of people

 “Kool-Aid”
frío
● Jones made a flavored drink that was laced with
cyanide (prevents oxygen) and valium (relaxes
muscles).
● “Drinking the Kool-Aid” refers to any person or group
that knowingly goes along with a doomed or
dangerous idea because of persuasion.
Who is
Jim
Jones?
 Jim Jones
● Cult leader of the Peoples Temple
religious group
● Goal was to “wipe out racism and
immorality throughout America”
● Sat on a throne and compared himself to
Jesus and Vladimir Lenin
 Qualities of Jim Jones
● Fascinating- claimed to have psychic powers and the
ability to heal the sick
● Short - tempered: felt anger toward people who
betrayed or abandoned him
● Manipulative- made members think his intentions were
good but he ended up wiping the whole cult
● Good public speaker
● Deceitful
● Convincing
● Welcoming
● Ambitious
● Impressive
● Charming
 Jonestown
● In 1978, US Congressman Ryan went to check out
the compound due to requests from members’
families
● Congressman Ryan and his group got attacked while
attempting to leave, ultimately killing Ryan and some
others.
 Jonestown
● Jones demanded a “revolutionary suicide” by drinking
a flavored cyanide-laced drink, either willingly or by
force.
● Jones referred to “revolutionary suicide” as a form of
resistance in which a strong protest was made
through the lives and bodies of those courageous
enough to take the step.
 Jonestown Survivor Stories
● Trauma induced trust issues.
● One man “escaped life on the streets” to find a home in this
cult, which resulted in him trying to escape through a jungle
while the murder-suicides were taking place.
● Some people lost their entire families.
● Legacy of trauma has been passed down through generations.
● Many of the people killed were of African decent.
● Ironic because he was trying to promote equality, which is why
he was so convincing.
“To me death is not a fearful
thing. It’s the living that’s
cursed”

- Jim Jones