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Timeline |
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| October 2, 1869 - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is born in Porbandar, India. He is the youngest child of the Prime Minister of Porbandar. |
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1876 - At age seven Gandhi begins to become aware of the faults of the Indian Caste System. | |||
| 1883 - Gandhi marries Kasturbai Makanji, both age 13. |
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September 1888 - Gandhi becomes a Law Student in London, England. | |||
| 1891 - Gandhi successfully passes the Bar Exam. He then returns to India to practice law. |
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April 1893 - Gandhi sails to Durban, South Africa, to work as a lawyer. | |||
| 1894 - Gandhi campaigns to uphold the right of South African Indians to vote. | ||||
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1896 - While in South Africa Gandhi is beaten by white South Africans. He then begins his first satyagraba* campaign. (*Gandhi's term for the power of truth or love, as a force to create change in the world.) |
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1899 - The Boer War* begins. Gandhi organizes Volunteer Ambulance Corps, made up of Indians. (*The Boer War was fought in South Africa between the Boers, early Dutch settlers, and the British who came in the mid-1800s in search of gold. It lasted from 1899 to 1902.) |
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1903 - Gandhi begins an influential journal in South Africa named the Indian Opinion. | |||
| 1909 - Gandhi writes his first book: Hind Swaraj, which translates to Indian Home Rule. | ||||
| April 1919 - The Amritsar Massacre occurs. 15,000 people gather to peacefully demonstrate on the date of the Sikh New Year. Shortly after they begin to gather, General Reginald Dyer orders his troops to open fire on the crowd. This act of violence leaves 400 people dead and 11,000 wounded. |
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1920 - Gandhi becomes the president of the All-India Home Rule League (AIHRL), which wants independence from the British Empire. Soon the AIHRL begins to boycott British-made cloth, spinning their own cloth instead. This represents economic progress and national unity to many of India's citizens. | |||
| 1925-1928 - During this period of time Gandhi travels throughout India giving speeches on social reforms. He also writes an autobiography called The Story of My Experiments With Truth. | ||||
| 1930 - The Salt March incites a huge wave of nonviolent protest throughout India. Gandhi along with many of his followers march to the coast of Dandi. There he picks up a lump of salt, which is strictly forbidden by the Government. |
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This one action gives others inspiration to do things that they believe in. Even though Gandhi's action is nonviolent, the Government reacts violently. Many people are brutally beaten, killed or even sent to jail. Eventually, the government acquiesces, allowing India's citizens to extract the salt from the ocean. | |||
| Mid-1930 - Gandhi visits Lancashire, England and begins to meet with some of the mill workers there. The workers are impressed with his sincerity and sense of humor. This is important to the mill workers because many people have lost their jobs due to the boycott of British cloth. |
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| November 1930 - The First Round Table Conference meets in London to discuss the possibility of Dominion status for India. Yet, no congress members, such as Gandhi are invited to attend. | ||||
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January 1931 - Gandhi is named "Man of the Year" by Time magazine. This is an incredible feat for him because he believes that others are finally hearing his nonviolent message around the world. | |||
| The Second Round Table Conference in London is held. This time the delegates included Hindus, Christians, Moslems, princes, and landowners. Yet there are still no delegates representing peasants and untouchables. |
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Gandhi then appoints himself to this position, creating much resentment among the British attendees. | |||
| September 1932 - Gandhi fasts to protest conditions for the Untouchables (the lowest members of the Caste System.) | ||||
| 1933-1939 - During this time Gandhi again travels throughout India speaking about welfare and other important issues to India. |
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1946-1947 - This time period is filled with violence between the Hindus and the Moslems. The result: 20,000 people either dead or wounded. | |||
| August 15, 1947 - India gains independence from Britain. Although the occasion is a joyous one, it is marred. Wide spread rioting between Hindus and Moslems detracts from what should have been a jubilant celebration for India. The majority of Moslems have moved to the newly formed Pakistan and most Hindus have stayed in India, creating an ever-widening cultural gap. Gandhi begins to fast until peace is made between India's Moslems and Hindus. | ||||
| January 30, 1948 - Nathuram Godse, a fanatic follower, assassinates Gandhi while he is walking to a prayer meeting. His death shocks the world. |
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Gandhi was thought to have no enemies.
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