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Sepoy Mutiny
By the 1850’s British controlled most of India. However, there was a lot of discontent from the Indians on how the British were not only controlling their land, but trying to convert them to Christianity, and use racism against them. On May 10,1857, the sepoys (Indian Soldiers) rebelled against the British since the cartridges of their rifles were filled with beef and pork fat. The sepoys marched to Delhi and took control of the city, later spreading the rebellion to northern and central India. -
British Takes Command
In 1858, the British government, concerned about the Sepoy Mutiny decided to take direct control of India. This happened after the reign of Queen Victoria, and the term Raj was known as British rule during this time period. However, the attitude the people in India had towards British rule was worse than ever, and the British racist attitude towards the Muslims and Hindus began to build up as well. -
National Congress
By this time, Indians started to demand more modernization and wanted to govern themselves. Indias also hated being treated as second class, while the British we always superior. The growing of nationalism in India eventually lead to the founding of the National Congress on December 28, of 1885. This congress started focusing on specific concerns for India, but eventually, it would end up doing much, much more. -
Gandhi Thrown out of Train
On June 7th, 24-year-old Gandhi was thrown off a whites-only carriage on a train in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. He was thrown out for not obeying the laws that separated each carriage according to race. At this time, Gandhi was simple a lawyer, but this event is proved to have marked an incredible influence in his political future. -
Muslim League
In addition to forming the National Congress, the growing nationalism led to the creation of another revolutionary group called the Muslim League. Formed in 1906, this group basically focused on the protection and rights of Muslims in India. -
Gandhi is Arrested for the First Time
On January 10th, Gandhi was arrested for the first time when he was in South Africa and refused to carry the obligated identity documents that identified his race and class. After negotiations with the government, Gandhi was released in February. -
Gandhi gives up European Dress and Diet
On December 1, Gandhi decided to begin wearing traditional Indian clothing. This was a decision he took after a meeting of the Indian Independence Movement. To this point in his life, he had been a lawyer, and had always worn traditional Western clothing. However, this new image made him stand out to his soon-to-be followers. Aside from the Indian clothing, he also restricted himself to an only fresh and dried fruit diet. -
End of The Great War
During World War One, thousands of Indian troops were sent by Britain to fight. At the end of the war, a total of 800,000 Indian troops fought for Britain in the war and about 47,747 were classed as killed. By the end of the war in 1918, the costs of the war greatly weakened India’s economy, and India expected to be rewarded with independence or at least self-government. When soldiers returning from war found out it was all a lie, radical nationalistic feelings spread throughout the country. -
The Rowlatt Act
In this year, a new Act called The Rowlatt Act was passed by the British Government. This Act declared laws strongly opposed by India, because it basically gave the British government a greater authority and power over the people in India. These laws permitted the British to arrest someone without trial, which infuriated protesters. -
The Amritsar Massacre
On the 13th of April, 1919, more than ten thousand of unarmed people including children and women were peacefully protesting The Rowlatt Act in the Jallianwala Bagh. This was a garden in the city of Amritsar, where the most shocking and terrible day of the entire Indian Revolution took place. Edward Dyer was the British General who ordered his soldiers to fire at the helpless, innocent Indians. -
The Non-Cooperation Movement
Throughout the summer of 1920, The Non-Cooperation Movement was formed and led by Gandhi, which was supported by the Indian National Congress. This movement was a phase of intense struggle for freedom from the British rule. The aim of this movement was basically to nonviolently resist British needs in India. Followers of Gandhi and of this movement would refuse to buy British goods and instead try to use local resources. -
Gandhi Elected President of Indian National Congress
Despite his short absence from politics, Gandhi was elected as the president of the Indian National Congress, and immediately introduced a number of reforms and movements that would lead to the Indian Independence in the foreseeable future. One of the things Gandhi did as president was introducing the ideals of Satyagraha, and more. -
Salt March
Another protest led by Mahatma Gandhi was the Salt March, protesting the British Salt Tax. This tax made it illegal to produce or sell salt, except for the British, of course. Indian’s were outraged, since salt was necessary one’s daily diet. Most Indians collected their own salt in the costs of India, but now they were forced to buy salt, which they couldn’t even afford. This is why Gandhi set out to the coast of India, where he and his followers started collecting salt along the coast. -
Hunger Strike
On September 16, Gandhi began a hunger strike to protest that the British support of the new Indian Constitution. This constitution would help with the political representation for India’s lower social class, known as the “untouchables.” After six days without food, the British had no other option but to accept the terms of settlement between the higher class Indians and the “untouchables.” -
The Government of India Act
The Government of India Act was passed in August of 1935. This Act marked many changes in India, including the introduction of direct elections. Basically, a few more rights were given to the Indians that took another step towards complete Indian Independence. -
Quit India Movement
On the 8th of August 1942, at the All-India Congress Committee, Gandhi launched the “Quit India” movement. This movement was a civil disobedience movement because of Gandhi’s insistence of independence. The following day, Gandhi was arrested along with other leaders of the Indian National Congress. -
Indian Independence Act
This act was designed by the Prime Minister Clement Attlee as the Indian Political Parties finally came to the agreement passing on the rule onto a new Indian Government and its partition, Pakistan. The British passed the act on July 16, of 1947 that partitioned two soon-to-be independent nations, India and Pakistan, which would gain complete independence in one month’s time. August 5th marked the official date of India’s independence, free from all British rule. -
Another Hunger Strike Leading to Peace
Gandhi's new objective in mind was to hold peace between Pakistan and India. Attempting to do so, he promoted peace and asked that homes were restored to Muslims, and fighting came to it’s end. 77 year old Gandhi started another fast on January 12, or 1948 in order to make this happen. Five days into the hunger strike, India finally agreed to make a payment to Pakistan (according to an earlier agreement) and both Hindu and Muslim leaders agreed to hold the violence and restore peace. -
Mahatma Gandhi Assassination
On January 30, 1948, Gandhi was assassinated on his way to a prayer meeting by a Hindu nationalist whose name was Nathuram Godse, since he believed Gandhi was favoring the Muslims, instead of the Hindus. He fired three shots on the chest which marked the death of spiritual leader who lead his nation’s independence.
