Freedom And PartitionChapter 9 Section 1

By: Jacob BlockMatt Micklin

Saya Bery

Growing Unrest After WWI, increasing nationalism in India led to harsher laws that limited rights General Reginald Dyer banned all public

gatherings after five British officials were murdered

On April 13th, 1919, 10,000 Indians assembled in Amritsar in northwest India› General Dyer ordered troops to open fire on the

crowd› 379 Indians died and 1,100 were wounded› The Amritsar Massacre was the turning point the

struggle for freedom and many Indians called for separation from Britain

Mohandas Gandhi

Sparked nationalism in India› United groups of people› Inspired the people to work for change

Formed ideas about the use of nonviolent resistance› Named his method Satyagraha or “truth force”

Inspired by American Henry David Thoreau, who practiced civil disobedience, or the refusal to obey unjust laws

Hoped to spread awareness about British injustice by accepting punishment without striking back

Wanted to awaken a sense of their own wrongdoing to the British

Mohandas Gandhi- Early Life

1869- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born into a middle-class Hindu family

At 13, he married Kasturba 1888- Studied law in England, leaving

behind his wife and few-month-old son He worked at a law firm in South Africa

› Appalled by the treatment of Indians there and set out gain rights for them

› Where he developed policy of satyagraha Gandhi was sent to jail several times

during the 20 years he lived in South Africa

Gandhi’s Life (cont.)

In 1915, Gandhi returned to India and lived there for the rest of his life

In 1919, Britain imposed the Rowlatt Acts, and Gandhi became known for his opposition and leadership

In 1925, after several years of jail, he devoted himself to the relations between Muslims and Hindus

Gandhi’s Principles

His ideas appealed to Hindus of all classes Encouraged traditional industries His followers called him Mahatma, or

“Great Soul” Like Buddha, he rejected some factors of

the caste system Reached out to Muslims Thought everyone had potential for

ethical and spiritual growth Urged non-violent resistance to British

rule

The Salt March

In 1930, Gandhi used satyagraha to protest salt tax› Salt was heavily taxed by the government,

and Indians were not allowed to make salt Indians protested by making salt with sea

water on a 200-mile march led by Gandhi Protest spread across India

› 50,000 Indians were involved and arrested› Gained support around the world

British responded with force

Moving Toward Independence Indian National Congress refused to support

Britain in WWII unless they were granted immediate independence› Britain refused

Gandhi and Congress created a “Quit India” movement› Urged Indians not to cooperate with Britain› The British responded by arresting over 20,000

Congress members

Hindu-Muslim Conflict In the early days of nationalism, Hindus and

Muslims cooperated During the 1920s and 1930s, conflict arose

between the Hindu Congress party and the Muslim League› Britain hoped the fighting would weaken the

nationalists Muhammad Ali Jinnah called for a separate

Muslim nation Gandhi hoped for cooperation between Hindus

and Muslims› However, many Hindus distrusted Muslims and

saw them as foreign conquerors

The Subcontinent Divided

In 1946, rioting broke out between Hindus and Muslims› Britain realized Civil War could result

In 1947, Britain passed the Indian Independence Act

Ended British rule in India Partition, or division, of India into two

separate nations› Hindu-dominated India led by Jawaharlal Nehru› Pakistan with a Muslim majority led by Jinnah

Result of the Partition An explosion of violence erupted

› More than 500,000 people died fighting Muslims fled from India and Hindus fled

from Pakistan to avoid death› 15 million people were involved in this migration

On August 15, 1947 Gandhi refused to celebrate India’s independence› He held prayer meetings in the following months

In January 1948, Gandhi was shot by a Hindu extremist who felt that Gandhi had betrayed them

Gandhi’s Last Months

For the last few months of his life, Gandhi had been in Delhi to try to control the violence between Muslims and Hindus

A bomb was thrown in the meeting house where Gandhi was holding his evening prayer, but nobody was hurt› Gandhi refused additional security

A few days later, Gandhi was shot by Nathuram Godse

Gandhi was killed during one of his prayer meetings and died symbolically still praying