The Indian Nationalist Movement and Gandhi

1900 - 1950

Two Organizations Fought For Independence in India

Indian National Congress

• Comprised of Middle Class professionals and lawyers educated in England

• Majority of members Hindu

• Wanted greater self-government for Indians in India

Muslim League

• Comprised of Middle Class professionals and lawyers educated in England

• Members Muslim

• Wanted independence for India and creation of 2 countries: India and Pakistan

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

            

             

• Leader of the Muslim League who pushed for a separate country for Muslim Indians.

Mohandas Gandhi• Studied law in England,

practiced in South Africa• Joined the INC before

WWI• Became leader of the INC

because he was better able to relate to the problems of the common people

• Believed in the idea of non-violent resistance (Satyagraha)

Amritsar Massacre 1919

•Peaceful demonstration against British

•Resulted in over 300 deaths

•Convinced Gandhi that cooperation with the British was impossible

Site of massacre today

Alley that prevented the use of tanks

Jinnah and Gandhi c. 1940

Gandhi’s Influences•Hindu religion and “ahimsa”

•Christ’s teaching to love one’s enemy

•Henry David Thoreau’s philosophy of civil disobedience

Gandhi’s Ideas and Methods

• Satyagraha – protesting without using violence in order to win the enemy over

Civil Disobedience•Breaking unjust laws

•The Salt March 1930

Boycotts•Gandhi urged Indians to stop buying British products

•Making homespun cloth became the symbol of his movement

Equality for Caste and Women

• Gandhi fought to improve conditions for women and untouchables in India

Hindu-Muslim Unity

• “Indian first, Muslim or Hindu second”

• Gandhi often fasted to end Hindu-Muslim conflict

As Gandhi’s movement grew, British officials were forced to meet with him.

India Received Independence in 1947

• India’s government resembles Britain's

• India was Partitioned into 2 countries: India and Pakistan

• Mass migrations occurred and Hindu -Muslim conflicts exploded

• Gandhi was assassinated in 1948