Mohandas Mohandas (Mahatma) (Mahatma)

GandhiGandhi

1869-19481869-1948

Short HistoryShort History

Great Britain had controlled India since the Great Britain had controlled India since the 1700’s. 1700’s.

The The goodgood changes Britain made - changes Britain made -

Abolished slaveryAbolished slavery

Built railway systemBuilt railway system

The The badbad changes - changes -

The British took advantage of India’s huge The British took advantage of India’s huge cotton industry. The Brits would ship cotton industry. The Brits would ship India’s cotton back to England… and then India’s cotton back to England… and then sell the cotton back to India!sell the cotton back to India!

Millions of Indians were out of jobs. Millions of Indians were out of jobs.

The British did not treat Indians as equalsThe British did not treat Indians as equals

Mahatma Gandhi was born in Mahatma Gandhi was born in Western India, on October 2, Western India, on October 2,

1869 of middle-class parents1869 of middle-class parents . .

18861886

17 years old17 years old

Gandhi and his Gandhi and his brother inbrother in

typical Indian typical Indian clothingclothing

In the late 1800’s –In the late 1800’s –

Gandhi went to England Gandhi went to England to study lawto study law and was learning about these ideas.and was learning about these ideas.

Ideas of Ideas of Individual rightsIndividual rights and and self self governmentgovernment were spreading around were spreading around world.world.

1890 1890 As a student in As a student in

law schoollaw school

When, as a 19-year-old, When, as a 19-year-old, Gandhi arrived in London to Gandhi arrived in London to

study law, study law, he wanted to dress he wanted to dress like an Englishman.like an Englishman.

Gandhi thought English Gandhi thought English clothes were more civilized.clothes were more civilized.

NonviolenceNonviolence

Gandhi read Henry David Thoreau’s Gandhi read Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Civil DisobedienceDisobedience about about nonviolent nonviolent resistanceresistance. .

Gandhi found out that there are ways to Gandhi found out that there are ways to win wars win wars without using guns.without using guns.

He believed nonviolent resistance can be He believed nonviolent resistance can be more powerful than violence. more powerful than violence.

19001900

29 years old29 years old

A lawyer in A lawyer in South AfricaSouth Africa

He arrived in South Africa dressed like a British He arrived in South Africa dressed like a British lawyer except for his turban. In fact, he was lawyer except for his turban. In fact, he was ordered by the court to remove the turban, an act ordered by the court to remove the turban, an act he found most humiliating.he found most humiliating.

Although he stopped wearing a turban, he registered Although he stopped wearing a turban, he registered his protest with the press, and he began to his protest with the press, and he began to experiment consciously with the experiment consciously with the symbolic power symbolic power of his clothing. of his clothing.

He worked as a lawyer in South Africa for twenty He worked as a lawyer in South Africa for twenty years trying to improve the lives of Indians living years trying to improve the lives of Indians living there. there.

19061906

35 years old35 years old

Still a lawyer in Still a lawyer in South AfricaSouth Africa

19131913Dressed for a Dressed for a

protest in protest in South AfricaSouth Africa

His 1913 clothing was a His 1913 clothing was a "sign of mourning," a "sign of mourning," a

symbolic way to identify symbolic way to identify with the suffering of the with the suffering of the

Indians who were Indians who were oppressed in South Africa. oppressed in South Africa.

19151915Gandhi and his wife Gandhi and his wife returning from South returning from South Africa, dressed like Africa, dressed like an Indian peasantan Indian peasant

By the time he returned to India By the time he returned to India in 1915, Gandhi knew that in 1915, Gandhi knew that

clothing could convey important clothing could convey important messages, and he consciously messages, and he consciously chose to dress like an Indian chose to dress like an Indian

peasant. The strong reactions peasant. The strong reactions his clothing elicited from the his clothing elicited from the Indians who met him further Indians who met him further

convinced him of the symbolic convinced him of the symbolic importance of clothing. importance of clothing.

In 1915 he returned to India at the age of 45 and In 1915 he returned to India at the age of 45 and several years later he began to work for Indian several years later he began to work for Indian independence.independence.

Gandhi realized that many upper class, Western-Gandhi realized that many upper class, Western-educated Indians were committed to working for educated Indians were committed to working for independence, but that one of the greatest independence, but that one of the greatest challenges was to challenges was to bring the rest of the country bring the rest of the country into the struggle.into the struggle.

Many were very poor, Many were very poor, illiterateilliterate, and divided by , and divided by regional and religious differences. regional and religious differences.

19211921

In September 1921 he decided to wear the Indian In September 1921 he decided to wear the Indian loincloth for at least six weeks, and it became his loincloth for at least six weeks, and it became his standard dress from that time forward. standard dress from that time forward.

Gandhi debated for a long time whether he should Gandhi debated for a long time whether he should wear a loincloth. He knew it could be taken as a wear a loincloth. He knew it could be taken as a sign of primitiveness or even indecency. On the sign of primitiveness or even indecency. On the other hand, it was a way of identifying with the other hand, it was a way of identifying with the poorest Indians. He insisted he was not trying to poorest Indians. He insisted he was not trying to express "saintliness" even though many people express "saintliness" even though many people identified it with the way Hindu ascetics dressed. identified it with the way Hindu ascetics dressed.

"In Gandhi's own perception, the loincloth was a "In Gandhi's own perception, the loincloth was a sign of India's dire poverty and of the need to sign of India's dire poverty and of the need to improve its wealth through swadeshi [things improve its wealth through swadeshi [things produced at home] and through a wholesale produced at home] and through a wholesale rejection of European civilization. rejection of European civilization.

It was a rejection not only of the material products It was a rejection not only of the material products of Europe, but also of the European value of Europe, but also of the European value system with its criteria of decency. It was better system with its criteria of decency. It was better for the poor to wear scanty loincloths than to for the poor to wear scanty loincloths than to clothe themselves in garments from abroad. clothe themselves in garments from abroad.

BoycottsBoycottsForm of nonviolent resistanceForm of nonviolent resistance

Gandhi stopped wearing western-style clothing or buying Gandhi stopped wearing western-style clothing or buying British-made cloth. British-made cloth.

Millions joined this boycott and British lost $$$ and Millions joined this boycott and British lost $$$ and changed their policies. Gandhi told Indians to spin changed their policies. Gandhi told Indians to spin their own cloth and to make their own clothes.their own cloth and to make their own clothes.

Mohandas’ name was changed to Mohandas’ name was changed to MahatmaMahatma, which means, which means

“Great Soul” “Great Soul”

19301930Salt ActsSalt Acts

Another item Gandhi focused on were the British Another item Gandhi focused on were the British “Salt Acts,” which made it a crime for anyone in “Salt Acts,” which made it a crime for anyone in India to purchase salt from anyone but the India to purchase salt from anyone but the British Government. British Government.

It was a monopoly on a substance needed to It was a monopoly on a substance needed to survive by both humans and animals in the hot survive by both humans and animals in the hot climate. climate.

It was illegal to make your own salt, too. Gandhi It was illegal to make your own salt, too. Gandhi planned to use intentional violation of that law to planned to use intentional violation of that law to put pressure on the British.put pressure on the British.

March To The SeaMarch To The Sea

Gandhi and about 75 followers marched to the sea, about Gandhi and about 75 followers marched to the sea, about 250 miles in 24 days. They were welcomed in villages 250 miles in 24 days. They were welcomed in villages and Gandhi addressed the crowds. and Gandhi addressed the crowds.

On April 5th, 1930, they reached the sea, Gandhi picked up On April 5th, 1930, they reached the sea, Gandhi picked up some of the salt that had dried from the salt spray -- he some of the salt that had dried from the salt spray -- he had broken the law. had broken the law.

This began an insurrection without arms, villagers This began an insurrection without arms, villagers everywhere went to the sea with a pan, and made salt. everywhere went to the sea with a pan, and made salt.

Within a month sixty thousand were behind bars -- there Within a month sixty thousand were behind bars -- there was no Indian violence, Gandhi was also arrested.was no Indian violence, Gandhi was also arrested.

19321932

Gandhi starves himself to protest Britain’s Gandhi starves himself to protest Britain’s treatment of the poorest people in India. treatment of the poorest people in India.

These people were known as “The These people were known as “The Untouchables.”Untouchables.”

Gandhi almost died from starvation. He Gandhi almost died from starvation. He urged more boycotts of British goods.urged more boycotts of British goods.

19401940Wearing Wearing

loincloth and loincloth and shawlshawl

19421942

Gandhi is arrested for all of his protests…Gandhi is arrested for all of his protests…

Although Gandhi practiced nonviolent Although Gandhi practiced nonviolent resistance and urged everyone to do resistance and urged everyone to do the same, some still practiced the same, some still practiced violence and 100’s were killed or hurt violence and 100’s were killed or hurt in violent demonstrations.in violent demonstrations.

““An eye for an eye An eye for an eye makes the whole makes the whole

world blind”world blind”

1942 1942 Wearing Wearing only his only his loinclothloincloth

19441944

Gandhi’s released from jail after spending Gandhi’s released from jail after spending a total of 2,338 days (over 6 years) in a total of 2,338 days (over 6 years) in his lifetime.his lifetime.

19471947

World sympathy eventually forced Britain to World sympathy eventually forced Britain to give India their independence after 200 give India their independence after 200 years of British rule.years of British rule.

While this is a major victory for Gandhi's While this is a major victory for Gandhi's nonviolence movement, Gandhi opposes nonviolence movement, Gandhi opposes the Congress's decision to accept the the Congress's decision to accept the partition of the country into India and partition of the country into India and Pakistan.Pakistan.

Happy ending?Happy ending?

A Hindu fanatic murdered Gandhi on January 30, A Hindu fanatic murdered Gandhi on January 30, 1948.1948.

For his dedication to the For his dedication to the

Indian Independence Indian Independence movement, Ghandi is movement, Ghandi is often called the often called the “Father of the Nation”.“Father of the Nation”.

Gandhi’s friend, Nehru, became the Gandhi’s friend, Nehru, became the first president after Gandhi was killed.first president after Gandhi was killed.