This is Mohandas Gandhi.
- He lived in India 100 years ago.
- He fought against the British rule of his country.
- He believed in peaceful protest.
Watch: Gandhi's life
Learn more about the life and actions of Mohandas Gandhi.
In the 1940s, a powerful empire was defeated by a man of peace dressed in simple clothes.
He was Mohandas K Gandhi.
At that time, India was part of the British Empire, a group of countries ruled by Britain and Britain decided their laws.
Gandhi believed this was wrong. He thought India should be ruled by Indian people.
He wanted change but through peace, not violence.
Aged 23, Gandhi moved to South Africa, where one event changed the rest of his life. He was thrown off a train carriage which was just for white people. Because of this unfair treatment he returned to India, determined to work for change.
Gandhi started making many peaceful protests.
He now dressed in white cotton clothes to show he was living simply like the poor.
He wanted Indians to stop buying British things.
In 1930, he led the Salt March, a protest against the British who were selling salt to Indians. Indians needed salt to stay healthy. They wanted to make their own because it was cheaper. But the British said, "No".
Gandhi's protest was very important. Because of it, he was arrested and spent almost nine months in prison.
Gandhi won support from people around the world.
As his protests increased, the British decided they couldn't rule India any more.
In 1947 they left. But before going, they split it into two countries - India, where people mainly followed the Hindu religion, and Pakistan, where most were Muslims. This was called ‘Partition’.
Gandhi died for his beliefs. In January 1948, he was killed by someone who blamed him for India being divided.
But we still remember him today for the power of his peaceful protests.
As Gandhi said, "In a gentle way, you can shake the world!"
What did Gandhi do?
- India used to be part of the British Empire.
- Gandhi wanted India to rule itself.
- In the 1930s Gandhi led a famous protest called the Salt March. Afterwards, he was arrested.
- Some people think that they should fight if they feel something is unfair. Gandhi didn't believe in fighting.
- He showed his peaceful actions could work.
Did you know?
- Gandhi came from a rich family but dressed like a poor Indian. He wore simple white cotton clothes that he made himself, even when he came to England to meet the King at Buckingham Palace.
- Gandhi travelled with his goat so that he could have fresh milk.
- Gandhi is also known as 'Mahatma', meaning 'great soul'.
Activity 1 – Sort the events in Gandhi's life
Activity 2 – Gandhi quiz
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