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Period: to
India Independence
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Gandhi in England
Mohandas Gandhi came to England when he was 19. He went to London to study law at the University of London. -
Gandhi returns to India
Gandhi tried to set up his own law practice in India but decided to join an Indian law firm in South Africa. After this he returned to India again and joined th Congress party. He encouraged all Indians to resist the British rule. -
Amritsar Massacre
A large peaceful crowd crammed into the city of Amritsar. British commander, General Reginald Dyer, banned public meetings but the Indians ignored it. Dyer arrived with 50 soldiers and killed 379 unarmed men, women, and children. This was a turning point for many Indians -
Boycotts of British Goods
Gandhi launched a series of nonviolent actions against British rule. This included boycotting British goods such as textiles, and also urged Indians to wear Indian woven cotton only. -
Non-Violence and Civil Disobedience
Protesting without using violence. The refusal to obey unjust laws. Created by Henry David Thoreau. Gandhi used this method throughout all of his protests. -
Separate Muslim State
Muhammad Ali Jinnah became the able leader of the Muslim League. He supported the idea of a separate state for Muslims. It was called Pakistan which means,"land of the pure." -
The Salt March
Indians were forced to buy salt from the government and were not allowed to touch the available sea salt. Gandhi rallied thousands of followers and marched to the sea where he picked up a hanfull of sea salt. Although he was arrested, his followers continued to take sea salt. -
WW II
Britain brought India into a war without consulting them first and also postponed their independence. Some Indians actually helped the British in the war. -
After WW II
Hindu-Muslim violence raged on in India. India got it's independence. -
Tragedy Unfolds
Millions of Hindus and Muslims crossed the borders of India and Pakistan in both directions. Hindus and Muslims slaughtered eachother leading to more than one million deaths. -
Two States
Jinnah insisted that Muslims have their own state, Pakistan. Fights between Hindus and Muslims convinced Britain to divide the subcontinent. Britain created Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan. -
Gandhi is killed
Gandhi was shot and killed by a Hindu extremist. His death ended the worst of the violence. "The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere" (said by Jawaharlal Nehru).