India Seeks Self-Rule Chapter #12 Section #3

Amritsar Massacre April 13, 1919, a large, but peaceful crowd of Indians jammed into an enclosed field to protest British rule. General Reginald Dyer had banned public meetings, but the crowd ignored, or never heard the order. As Indian leaders spoke, Dyer and 50 soldiers opened fire on the unarmed crowd. Nearly 400 Indians died, and more than 1,100 were wounded. Indians were convinced that India needed to govern itself.

Calls for Independence During WWI over a million Indians served overseas. Indian nationalists pressured the British, who promised Indians greater self-rule, but only proposed a few minor reforms after the war. After the Amritsar massacre, the Indian National Congress party called for full independence. Western-educated elite and middle-class Indians had little in common with the masses of Indian peasants. In the 1920s, a new leader, Mohandas Gandhi emerged and united Indians across class lines.

Mohandas Gandhi Gandhi grew up in a middle-class Hindu family. At age 19, he went to England to study law. Gandhi went to South Africa and fought discrimination against Indians for 20 years. In 1914, Gandhi returned to India, & became leader of the Indian National Congress Party.

The Power of Nonviolence Read pg. 402 Answer: 1. Name Gandhi’s key ideas. 2. How did Gandhi put these ideas into practice?

The Salt March Gandhi mobilized Indians and took a stand against the British salt monopoly. Natural salt was available in the sea, but the British government required Indians to buy only salt by the monopoly. On March 12, 1930, Gandhi set out with 78 followers on a 240-mile march to the sea. By the time they reached the sea, the protesters grew into the thousands. On April 6th, Gandhi waded into the surf and picked up a lump of sea salt. He was soon arrested and jailed. But Indians followed Gandhi’s lead as coastal villages started collecting salt. Tens of thousands of Indians were arrested for collecting and selling salt. The media of the world criticized the British for their harsh treatment of Indians, including police brutality. Gandhi’s campaign forced Britain to give some power to Indians and meet a few demands of the Indian National Congress.

Primary Source Assignment Read pg. 404 – Mohandas Gandhi:Hind Swaraj Answer: Thinking Critically #1-2

Quick-write We live in a world of constant violence, with the threat of gangs, terrorists and global wars ever present. How do you feel about Gandhi’s nonviolent approach towards India self-rule? Do you think his non-violent approach can still be successful today? Why or why not? What unjust law(s) would you disobey today? Do you agree with civil-disobedience?