Peace Makers & Breakers

Mahatma Gandhi-The Great Soul
By: Max

Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi is known for having worked to promote civil rights and independence for others.

He was born October 2, 1869 in Porbanbar, India. Gandhi was born into the merchant caste (level of society). When Gandhi was young, he was a shy and serious boy. At the age of 13 Gandhi married a girl the same age. Her name was Kasturba. Their parents arranged the marriage without their consent! Kasturba and Gandhi had four children.

Gandhi studied law in London, England. Afterward, he returned to India to practice law but was unsuccessful. He then was given a law assignment in South Africa for one year, but stayed for 21 years to work on Indian civil rights. During that time, he edited a newspaper, The Indian Opinion.

Map of India Gandhi returned to India in 1915. Here he did his most important work. He led a campaign against British rule in India.

First, Gandhi lead a successful campaign to prevent the British government from passing a bill that would prevent Indians from speaking out against the government. Then in 1920, he began an important program of hand spinning and weaving. This program was to promote economic, social, and political freedom for the Indian people. Finally, in 1930 Gandhi marched over 200 miles to the sea to collect salt with an ever-growing crowd behind him. Gandhi’s idea behind this was to defy the British law that said it was illegal to use salt not bought from the government. These were acts of civil disobedience and not acts of violence. Throughout his life Gandhi used the nonviolent methods of civil disobedience and fasting to achieve his goals.

Gandhi believed that people should not kill animals for food or clothing. He felt it takes courage to be nonviolent. He believed that through concern and tolerance for others, truth could be found. He felt that going to jail for a just cause was honorable. Gandhi

Gandhi was arrested by the British many times for his acts of civil disobedience, but when he believed the British had a just cause he helped them! Gandhi was given medals for his paramedic work in the Boer War and Zulu Rebellion. In all, Gandhi spent 7 years in British prisons during his campaign to win independence for the Indian people.

In 1947 because of this remarkable, peaceful little man, the Indian people gained their independence from British rule. On January 30^th 1948, a Hindu fanatic who disagreed with Gandhi’s belief that all religions and creeds should be tolerated assassinated him. The whole world was saddened by the death of this “Great Soul.”

Albert Einstein, the great scientist, said this of Gandhi: India's Flag

“Generations to come will scarcely believe

that such a one as this walked the earth in

flesh and blood.”

Citations

Web Sites

Iyer, Raghavan. "Gandhi" The World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Chicago: World Book Inc.

Images of Gandhi, Indian flag, and Map of India from "Microsoft Office Design Gallery Live" <http://dgl.microsoft.com/?CAG=1> Images free for non-profit and personal use. (December-March, 2003).

Photograph of Gandhi from "ArtToday.com" <http://members.clipart.com/en/index> (2003).