Gandhi/ Indian Independence
India's Flag
The design was first made to represent Hindu, in red, now orange, Islam in green and the spinning wheel to promote their movement.
What drove Muslims to strive for a separate independent state? (MV)
The fear of being overthrown as the minority. They believed they would be safer in their own country.
Gandhi's arrest and Trial
Gandhi pleaded guilty to his charges and spent 2 years in jail. He was arrested after protests where he was turned violent. Gandhi stay optimistic even amidst his time in jail.
Protesters
A new law was written during the Great War that stated officials could arrest and imprison protesters without trial. The Rowlatt acts were more extensions of this law, limiting protesting rights of Indians and restricting trial by a jury. This caused a lot of uproar among citizens, and people kept protesting anyway.
Muslim League (MV)
Created in 1906 and was made to protect Muslims as the minority in India and to fight for their rights as they did not think the INC was doing for them.
August 16, 1946 (MV)
Direct Action Day- a protest organized by the Muslim League that eventually helped the Muslim League to gain the support of the British and the INC. They organized this because they believed that the British were favoring the Hindus. This caused many fatalities as the Hindus fought back, lasting three days, and leaving India in much worse shape. As a result, Gandhi went around trying to promote peace and unity, instead of violence.
Gandhi as a Lawyer (SA)
Gandhi did not have much business at first as he wasn't that educated in the area of Indian Law. He fought discrimination writing many letters about the unfair treatment, and organizing many protests.
Natal Indian Congress (SA)
Gandhi formed this shortly after moving to South Africa and strove to get Indians to pay their taxes that they also worked to lower. It was made by Hindus and Muslims who fought against discrimination. Gandhi had an experience with discrimination when he was on a train with a first class ticket, but was refused to be allowed to sit in that seat. After protesting, he was kicked off the train.
Homespun Cloth Movement
Gandhi started by returning all honors and medals given to him by the British government. Gandhi's main way of boycotting British goods, was trying to make India independent in making their own cloth. He also wanted to take away the stigma of lower class jobs, and to hurt the British economy. This helped poverty and unemployment rates all over India. Gandhi was motivated to organize this since the British were previously forcing Indians to buy their cloth that came from India's cotton. If Indians bought into this, they became very poor because they could not afford the British's overpriced clothes, but it was their only legal option. Gandhi even went as far as asking for Indians to burn the British cloth. To practice what he preached Gandhi began to spin his own clothes, as did others. Some ignored this and did not support Gandhi, most politicians or other leaders trying to maintain their power. Many people went to jail for this civil disobedience disrupting everyone's daily life. Gandhi also fasted as a punishment for himself as he thought he has started the riots. The spinning wheel was a major symbol of this boycott as Gandhi carried a portable one with him everywhere, he spun the same amount everyday no matter what. In October 1921 many workers were asked to go on strike in protest, some did while others didn't.
What were the effects of Gandhi's protests outside of South Africa? (SA)
He gained legitimacy outside of South Africa, but also made some enemies. The protest also got Gandhi arrested, but they were able to reach an agreement.
World War ll- impact on Amritsar
Some Indians fought with the British and therefore though that they would have more rights, but this was n ot the case.
Where did Gandhi first practice law? (SA)
South Africa
General Dyer
He was the person who ordered troops to fire at unwarned people. He also left many people to die after refusing to let Indian surgeons and medics help tend to the wounded. He was later forced to resign and put on criminal trial. This made many more Indians want independence from England. They started boycotting British goods.
Nathrum Godse
Hindu extremist, and a newspaper editor who strongly disliked Muslims due to previous history. He did not like that Gandhi was promoting unity between religions. He also thought Gandhi was to blame for the creation of Pakistan. All people involved were put to justice for the terrible crime they had committed.
What was the Amritsar Massacre? (AM)
In *Spring of 1919*, in *protest against the Rowlatt Acts*, 10,000 *Hindus and Muslims* flocked to Amritsar. At a *huge festival in an enclosed square*, they intended to fast, pray and to listen to political speeches. The demonstration, especially the alliance of Hindus and Muslims, alarmed the British. *A British commander ordered his troops to fire on the crowd* without warning because he believed they were defying the ban. They were all unable to escape from the enclosed courtyard, nearly 400 Indians died and about 1,200 were wounded.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (MV)
Major leader in the movement for Pakistan and longtime leader of the Muslim League. He also agreed with Gandhi, on the fact that unity was the answer, but lost faith in that strategy shortly after.
Where did the idea of a seperate nation come from? (MV)
Muhammad Iqbal was the first person to propose the idea of the partition of India in 1930. He suggested this again with intentions and hopes of this keeping everyone safer. This was not a very popular idea at the time and even after the decision to split up India was made many disagreed, even Muslims.
Creation of Pakistan and Independent India (MV)
On August 15 1947 India became independent and Pakistan was created out of what was formerly Northwest and Northeast India. Jinnah was the first leader of Pakistan, but died shortly after, and Nehru was the first leader of independent India.
Gandhi's Last Fast
On January 13, 1948 Gandhi started what he didn't know would be his last fast in protest of Hindu Muslim violence and overall failure to coincide peacefully or respectfully. He became very weak because of this and worried many. His fast was finally broken after they vowed to be peaceful 5 days into his fast.
Gandhi's assassination
On January 20, 1948 there was an attempted assassination by a Hindu extremist who threw a bomb at Gandhi and those around him hoping to hurt or kill many. It failed. Shortly after this attempt however, Gandhi was successfully killed by another Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse. He pretended to worship Gandhi, then shot him. Gandhi, was on his way to prayer and he met Godse in the crowd. After he was shot he shouted over and over again "Hai Rama" meaning Oh God. After Gandhi was shot, the crowd started to panic, as it was right in front of a large group. Godse was taken away right after and people crowded around Gandhi. He was cremated and went through all routine Hindu traditions. His ashes were later scattered in 3 sacred rivers across India.
Salt March
The British doubled the tax on salt after not making enough money off of it. This negatively affected many poor Indians as they could not afford this, and it was most clear then that the British did not have their interests, and well being in mind. Gandhi announced a campaign against these raised prices and gave the British over a year to fix the problem before they would start protesting against them. Since salt was such a crucial household item, he knew it was an important problem to fix. Gandhi tried to stay peaceful writing a letter to the viceroy saying soon, people would start breaking the law. The Salt March started on March 12, 1930 and Gandhi and followers started upon their 240 mile march. They ended up marching for around 25 days. They were marching to the Arabian sea to get fresh salt of their own from the ocean. As more an more protested against the salt tax many joined Gandhi and his group. Gandhi was later arrested for this movement.
1652 (SA)
Year Europeans started to take over South Africa. It was a long time later when they gained more power in South Africa though.
