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Birth
Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar. He was born as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. -
Defying Education
When Gandhi was 19, he defied customs and went to study abroad at the University College in Londen. Students would insult or ignore him because he was Indian. Gandhi studied philosophy and learned that non-violence was called “Civil Disobedience”. -
Gandhi’s Return
When Gandhi returned in 1891, he had many ideas similar to Hindu religious ideas. Being unsuccessful with them in India, he went to South Africa in 1893 to share his ideas. At Natal he was the first colored lawyer brought into the Supreme Court. -
Natal Indian Congress
Gandhi saw how his fellow Indians had been treated in India, England, and South Africa. They had been treated with a lower status so in 1894 Gandhi founded the Natal Indian Congress to campaign for Indian rights. -
Boer War
Even though Gandhi was fighting for Indian rights, he still was loyal to the British. During the Boer War in 1899, he made an ambulance unit and served the South African government. -
Peaceful Revolution
In 1906, Gandhi began his peaceful revolution. He said he would rather go to jail or die before obeying an anti-Asian law. Thousands of Indians joined him and his civil disobedience. -
Returning Home
Gandhi was imprisoned twice because of his civil disobedience. But, in World War I, he still organized another ambulance unit for the British. In 1914, Gandhi finally returned home to India. -
Indian National Congress
When Gandhi returned home, he gained many followers. In 1919, he became a leader in the newly formed Indian National Congress political party. -
Noncooperation Campaign
In 1920, Gandhi started a noncooperation campaign against Britain, telling the Indians to spin their own cotton and to boycott against British goods, courts, and government. This led to his imprisonment from 1922-1924. -
Salt Tax Protest
In 1930, Gandhi protested salt tax. He led thousands or Indians on a 200 mile march to the sea to collect their own salt. Yet again, he was imprisoned. -
Demanding Independence
In 1934, Gandhi retired as the head of his party after gradually realizing that India would never have real freedom until it wasn’t part of the British Empire. In World War II, he demanded immediate independence because India had been helping Britain in the war. He was imprisoned one more time from 1942-1944.