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The Sepoy Mutiny of India
Also known as the Sepoy Rebellion, this event began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army. British arrogance was angering both Muslims and Hindus. gossips spread around the sepoys, the indian soldiers,that the cartridges were greased by cow and pig fat.Hindus and the Muslims were outraged. On Sunday May 10th a mutiny broke out and Sepoys marched to Delhi. From Delhi, the rebellion spread to northern and central India. -
Government of India Act
In 1858, British Crown rule was established in India, ending a century of control by the East India Company. The life and death struggle that preceded this formalisation of British control lasted nearly two years, and is variously referred to as the 'Great Rebellion', the 'Indian Mutiny' or the 'First War of Indian Independence'. -
Mohandes Gandhi Marries Kasturbai Makhanji in an Arranged Child Marriage
In May 1883, the 13-year old Mohandas was married to 14-year old Kasturbai Makhanji (her first name was usually shortened to "Kasturba," and affectionately to "Ba") in an arranged child marriage, as was the custom in the region. -
Formation of Indian National Congress
The British Raj in India inevitably fostered a nationalist reaction for many Indians. A product of this intensifying nationalism was the Indian National Congress, who hoped to unite all Indians and progress towards Indian independence from Britain. -
Meeting in Johannesburg and Satyagraha
At a mass protest meeting held in Johannesburg on 11 September 1906, Gandhi adopted his approach to non-violent protest commonly known as satyagraha (loyalty to the truth) for the first time. He called on his fellow Indians to defy the new law and suffer the punishments for doing so, rather than resist through violent means. -
Gandhi is Arrested for the First Time
Gandhi refused to Carry an Obligatory ID Card in South Africa
and was arrested for breach of the registration law and clapped into prison. The following month he was released after an understanding seemed to have been reached with the government. A few days later, he was beaten up and severely injured by a compatriot, who accused him of betraying the Indian cause. -
Gandhi Begins "Great March"
Led at 6.30.a.m. the "great march", consisting of 2,037 men, 127 women and 57 children from Charlestown; addressed marchers halfway between Charlestown and Volksrust, to gain Indian Rights in South Africa. At Volksrust border, Police Superintendent and Immigration Officer interviewed Gandhi and Kallenbach. Marchers broke through Police cordon, crossed border. Gandhi was arrested at 8.30 p.m. at Palmford railway station, but marchers continued their journey. -
Fasting for rights of textile mill workers of Ahmedabad
In 1918, Gandhiji fought for the rights of the textile mill workers of Ahmedabad. Here for the first time he introduced a method of arbitration - fasting. Gandhiji felt this method eliminated violence and the compulsion which may present even peaceful struggles. `I fasted to reform those who love,' stated Gandhiji. After considerable arbitration and negotiations, the mill owners agreed to the demands. -
Amritsar Massacre
British Indian Army soldiers, commanded by Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer, began shooting at an unarmed gathering of Indian men, women, and children without warning in Amritsar. Indian National Congress estimated the number of casualties to be around 1500. -
Non-Cooperation Movement led by Gandhi
Under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership, the movement aimed at resisting British rule through non-violence (ahinsa). Activists refused to buy British goods, used only local handicrafts, and picketed liquor shops. The goal was to uphold Indian honor and integrity in a peaceful manner. Thousands of common citizens rallied for the cause and it was the first large scale movement in the history of India’s independence. -
Gandhi is arrested by the British Government
Gandhi was arrested in his ashram on charges of Inciting violence at Chauri Chaura . The trial was held before Broomfield, District and Sessions Judge of Ahmedabad. The British judge behaved with great consideration, nodding respectfully to the accused in the dock before taking his seat. He acknowledged that Gandhi was in a different category from any person that he had ever tried or was likely to try. Gandhi made his task easy by pleading guilty. He was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. -
Gandhi begins twenty-one day Fast
Gandhi Begins Twenty-One Day Fast in an Attempt to Reconcile Hindus and Muslims. Cooperation among Hindus and Muslims, which had been strong at the height of the non-violence campaign, was breaking down. Gandhi attempted to bridge these differences through many means, including a three-week fast in the autumn of 1924. He wanted to recover the power to react on the people. -
Indian National Congress Raises the Tricolor Flag of India
In December 1928, Congress held in Calcutta, Mohandas Gandhi proposed a resolution that called for the British to grant dominion status to India within two years. If the British failed to meet the deadline, the Congress would call upon all Indians to fight for complete independence. Bose and Nehru objected to the time given to the British - they pressed Gandhi to demand immediate action from the British. -
Declaration of Independence of India
Gandhi leads the movement to break away from Great Britain. He publishes the Declaration of Independence of India, representing the Indian National Congress, and makes his case for Indian independence. -
Gandhi leads the Salt March
Led by Mohandas Ghandi, several dozen followers marched to the west coast of India and produced salt from the Indian Ocean seawater. This was an attack against British rule since salt production was monopolized by the British and was a lucrative industry for them. This march was the start of Ghandi's "civil disobedience" against Britain campaign. -
Gandhi Begins Six-Day Fast to Protest Separate Elections for Untouchables
A new twist to the civil disobedience movement came in September 1932 when Gandhi, who was in Yeravda Jail, went on a fast as a protest against the segregation of the so-called "untouchables" in the electoral arrangement planned for the new Indian constitution. It was designed to free reason from that mixture of inertia and prejudice which had permitted the evil of untouchability, which condemned millions of Hindus to humiliation, discrimination and hardship. -
Gandhi Announces Fast-Unto-Death in the Effort to Form a People's Council in Rajkot
On March 3, Gandhi announced that he would not touch any more food until the reforms had been granted, and began a 'fast unto death.' While Gandhi fasted, all India prayed and business in the larger cities came practically to a standstill. The fast was not ended until March 7, after receiving assurances from the Viceroy, Lord Linlithgow, that a council would be set up in Rajkot, the purpose of which would be to suggest ways and means of introducing a democratic form of government. -
Official Indian Independence and Partition
India declared its independence on August 14th. The country was partitioned into two separate states; India with a large Hindu population, and Pakistan, with a large Muslim population. Jahwaharlal Nehru became the first president of India. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslim leader who had petitioned for the formation of Pakistan, became Governor-General of Pakistan. The Partition launched one of the largest human migrations in history, with over ten-million people forced to relocate. -
Death of Gandhi
Gandhi was approached by Nathuram Vinayuk Godse, a HIndu Nationalist. He took three gunshots where a prayer meeting was about to take place. Godse killed him for being too sympathetic to the Muslims.
