On 18 November 1978, the South American nation of Guyana was shaken to the core by the deaths of 900 people who were part of a cult called the People's Temple. A cult is a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object. They can be dangerous groups to be in.
The cult was led by an American named Jim Jones who created a settlement in the Barima- Waini region. The reason why this happened in Guyana was due to the belief that Guyana was the People's Temple's holy land and they established an agricultural cooperative on a tract within Guyana's tiny borders.
The victims died by cyanide poisoning that was preceded by the death of US Congressman Leo Ryan. Jones also died the same day as his cult members but by shooting himself instead of poisoning himself. Only 33 survived this nasty ordeal.