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Self-Rule
Congress pressed for self-rule within the British Empire and after Amritsar it began to call for full independence. -
Non-Violence
In his struggle against injustice, he adopted the weapon of nonviolent resistance. Gandhi called satyagrapha or "soul-force." When Gandhi returned back to India he joined Congress and inspired them with his ideas of religions and ethnic backgrounds. Also, encouraged them to resist British rule. He believed that through love people could convert the worse wrongdoer to the right course of action. -
Protests In Amrisar
Protests against British rule had sparked riots. A large, peaceful crowd jammed into the heart of the city, ignoring General Reginald Dyer's commands banning public meetings. Dyer arrived and opened fire on unarmed men, women, and children. It resulted in 379 deaths and 1,100 wounded. -
Mohandas Gandhi
Coming from a middle class family in India, Gandhi ventured to England to practice law. He returned to India to try and set up his own practice but soon joined an Indian law firm in South Africa.
Gandhi fought laws that discriminated against Indians in South Africa. -
Civil Disobedience
Gandhi believed in civil diosbedience which is the refusal to obey unjust laws. He set an example by abandoning western-style clothing; Gandhi dressed in the Dhoti traditional Indian garments. -
Boycotts of British Goods
Gandhi called for boycotts of British goods, especially textiles, and urged Indians to wear things made only by cotton and woven materials in India. He wanted to restore pride in India's traditions such as weaving and spinning, making the spinning wheel the symbol of the nationalist movement. -
The Salt March (March 12)
British claimed the sole right to produce and sell salt. By taxing the salt sales, they collected money to maintain their Government in Inida. On March 12th Gandhi and 78 followers made their way on a 240-mile walk to the sea. -
The Salt March (April 6th)
On April 6th, Gandhi waded into the water and grabbed a lump of sea-salt, urging others to follow his lead. Although he was arrested for his actions, others, including Indians followed, picking up the sea salt. This was the headline of all newspapers and everyone was against the British. In these newspapers, the abusive behavior of the police was exposed and Britain was ultimately embarrassed. -
World War II Begins
India was moving towards independence from Britain, but once WWII broke out, they were postponing any further actions on Independence. Indians were mad because Britain brought India into the war without consulting them. Many started a campaign of "Non-Cooperation," but were soon jailed. Although, many Indians were beneficial to the war. -
World War II Ends
Independence was no longer delayed in India, but a new trajedy unfolded as Hindu violence spread throughout the Indian sub-continent. -
Muhammed Ali Jinnah/ Two States
Muhammed Ali Jinnah was the leader of a Muslim League, who insisted that Muslims have their own state-- Pakistan. Riots between the Muslims and Hindus forced Britain to seperate the sub-continent. In 1947, British officials closed the borders to creat Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan, creating two states. -
Tragedy Unfolds
Drawing the borders to be fair between Hindus and Muslims was unfair because both lived side by side. They would always cross eachothers borders in both directions, which angered Britain because they wanted to keep the population divided. Travelling through borders brought violence. Hindu mobs would massacre Muslims who were fleeing into Pakistan. Ten million refugees fleed their homes while many were killed. -
Gandhi Is Killed
Gandhi turned once more to satyagraha. He was shot by a Hindu extremist, Jawaharlal Nehru. The town believed that "the light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness eveywhere." Gandhi's death discredited the extremists and helped end the worst violence. -
After WWII
Britain finally agreed to the demands of the Indian people. As independence neared, a long, simmering, issue surfaced between the Hindus and Muslims.
