aim: how did india rebel against imperialists? do now: what are the characteristics of a good...
TRANSCRIPT
AIM: How did India rebel against imperialists?
Do Now: What are the Characteristics of a good
leader?
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India was the firstmajor country to
achieve independence in
the post-war period.Indians had long
been resistingBritish rule.
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Mohandas Gandhi wasthe leader of India’s
independence movement. He was
an Indian lawyer who had been educated inEngland. Having the
unique ability to appeal to ordinary citizens and the
educated elite,he united many Indians.
Co
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was wrong. He encouraged his followersto engage in nonviolent protests.
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Gandhi encouraged a policy of nonviolentnoncooperation. By refusing to obey the
unjust laws of the imperialists and refusingto buy British products, Indians couldchange the policies of imperialists.
As Gandhi said, “Real noncooperation is noncooperation with evil and not the
evildoer.”
Co
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ithGandhi believed that the use of violencewas always wrong. He believed thatthe only way to change a wrongdoer
was to show the wrongdoer the error ofhis ways. As Gandhi said, “An eye foran eye and the whole world is blind.”
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Gandhi encouraged Indians to boycott orrefuse to buy British-made cotton goods orcloth. He encouragedIndians to make theirown homespun cloth.He wanted Indians to
support the Indian economy not the British
economy.
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Gandhi also urgedIndians to disobeyunjust British laws.The refusal to obeyunjust laws and the
willingness to face theconsequences is called
Civil Disobedience.The making of illegalsalt was an example
of Civil Disobedience.
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The British taxed salt production in India. In 1930, Gandhi led the SaltMarch to protest the British salt tax.
Indians illegally made salt. Theyrefused to obey the
law.
Co
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ithGandhi’s vision for an independentIndia included justice for all. Hewanted to improve the lives of
untouchables. He wanted to raisethe standard of living. He wanted
all Indians to live together in harmony.
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The British delayed granting independencebecause of the threat of violence betweenIndia’s Hindu and Muslim populations.When independence was finally granted,India was partitioned or divided into twoseparate nations: India became a Hindunation, while Pakistan became a homefor Muslims.
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Because there were large Muslimpopulations in both the east and westof British India, Pakistan became a divided nation-separated by over
a thousand miles.
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India gained its independence in 1947 but the massive exchange of population
that took place led to violence and death.Gandhi’s vision of a peaceful, free India
was not fully realized.
Questions for Reflection:• Who was Mohandas K. Gandhi and what did he believe?• What is nonviolent noncooperation?• How did the boycott of British cloth hurt British imperialists?• What is civil disobedience and provide an example of civil
disobedience?• What happened to India upon achieving independence?
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