Mohandas+Gandhi

// By Naorin and Irtiqa 8Hillesheim //
 * Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi **

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (also known as Mahatma Gandhi) was an Indian religious leader who made history. He was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India. He studied to become a lawyer in England from 1888-1891. His mother did not want to let him go to England because she was afraid that sending him to a foreign country would rob him of his religion by getting him to eat meat and drink alcohol. But after much pleading, Gandhi was finally able to make his mother agree. After Gandhi returned to India, he began his career as a human rights activist by setting off for South Africa where he opposed discrimination against non-whites, by leading the Salt March, by trying to end the British rule over India, etc. In 1947, India was finally freed from British control but the following year, Gandhi was shot and assassinated.


 * __ Early Years __**

Gandhi was born into a middle-ranked family. His family had a recent tradition of state service. Gandhi got married at the age of 13. Although he did not think getting married at such early ages was a good idea, he still agreed and went along with it. He later had four sons with his wife Kasturbia who was the same age as him. Four years after he got married, Gandhi graduated from high school. He went to a local college for a while but did not like it much so he went to go study in London. Aside from studying law, he tried studying religion but was not very successful as he did not always get the time. When he returned to India, he tried practicing law but did not succeed and after two practices, he left for South Africa where he accepted a small offer.


 * __ Accomplishments __**

Gandhi has had many accomplishments in his lifetime. The following are some of the most impressive: - Gandhi was a very successful lawyer who had a law office in South Africa. - He led a 200 mile Salt March so that the people of India could produce and gather their own salt rather than having to buy it from the British. - He went on a 21 day fast to protest against the war that was going on between the Muslims and the Hindus. - He also protested against Britain not granting India it's independence. - One of his most impressive accomplishments was his life-long fight for his country's independence. - His dream finally became reality on August 5, 1947 when India finally gained it's independence from Britain.


 * __ South Africa __**

Gandhi arrived in Durban in 1893 to take part in a lawsuit. He booked a first class train ticket to Johannesburg but he was ordered out of the train because of the colour of his skin. He was forced to spend the cold night in a non-European waiting room at the railway station. This incident gave Gandhi the idea to stand up against racial discrimination in South Africa. Together with the Indians living in Pretoria, Gandhi launched his campaign to improve the legal statuses of the Indians in South Africa. At the time, they were suffering from racial discrimination and suffering like the blacks. When Gandhi returned to India in 1896 to bring his wife and his children to Africa, he informed the countrymen about the Indians in South Africa. When he returned to South Africa, news of his speeches had gotten around and an angry mob had set out to hang him.


 * __ The Salt March __**

When Gandhi met with the Congress in December 1929, they decided on a civil disobedience campaign to try and force the British to take notice on India's demands for rights and freedom. He decided to hold the campaign over salt because salt was heavily taxed so it would be easily understood by all of the Indians. On March 5, Gandhi announced that he and his followers would march to the sea carrying copies of a Hindu holy book to break the law by making salt. On March 12, they set out on their trek. It took them 25 days to reach their destination. On the following day, they went down to the beach and gathered some salt-encrusted mud. They then boiled it and turned it into salt, breaking the law. This inspired people all over the country and soon, a mass movement had began.


 * __ Assassination __**

Gandhi tried very hard to keep the Muslims and Hindus united. He pleaded them to resolve their conflicts but they did not care. They continued to get into more and more problems with no sign of any solutions. Gandhi tried to solve their problems but it didn't work. He promised that he would continue to fast until the conflicts between the Muslims and the Hindus were resolved. On January 30, 1948, he was on his way to a prayer meeting when a Hindu editor of a magazine shot him and killed him.


 * __ Bibliography __**


 * // Articles from Online Databases: //**

Bourgoin, Suzanne M. "Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (1869-1948)." //Encyclopedia of World Biography// 12 Dec. 1998. EK1631002423. 8 Jan. 2010. .

"Gandhi Leads the Salt March 1930." //DISCovering World History// 2003. EJ2105240730. 8 Jan. 2010. .

"Gandhi, Mohandas (1869-1948)." //DISCovering Biography// 2003. EJ2102100662. 8 Jan. 2010. .

"Gandhi, Mohandas (1869-1948)." //UXL Biographies// 2003. EJ2108100835. 8 Jan. 2010. .


 * // Websites: //**

Gandhi in South Africa. Encounter South Africa. 12 Jan. 2010. .

Gandhi's Achievements. Eastern Illinois University. 13 Jan. 2010. .