Gandhi's March for Freedom
The Salt March
By: Gavin Chestnut
Background Information
- Started in the beginning of the 20th century, the British government had a heavily taxed monopoly on the sale of salt in India
- In 1923 the tax on salt was doubled
- Began, 1930, March 2nd
- It was illegal for Indians to make or sell salt
The Salt March
Gandhi and 78 carefully chosen followers started a 240-mile walk to the sea at Dandi to collect salt to protest
Villages listened to Gandhi and resisted the tax, boycotted British goods
Despite the admonitions by Gandhi the noncooperation was often attended by violence
Riots and demonstrations occurred in Calcutta, Delhi, and other centers immediately after Gandhi’s arrest.
Trains were stoned, telegraph wires were cut, and many different government officials were assassinated.
March went to the gulf of Khambhât
Effects of the Salt March
- The salt march and other acts led the British to give Indians more political power
- The Gandhi-Irwin pact made the British release the hundreds of prisoners that were taken into custody
- Government of India created the act of 1935, created a new constitution, it gave provincial legislatures control over law making
- Also made representation of Indians in all branches of government increase
- the police arrested 60,000-100,000 people for salt related crimes and protests including Gandhi
Gandhi's Salt March
Belief System of the Protesters
The specific ideal they were following was the basic human right of freedom. They were mostly peaceful in there protests for freedom, from the British government and, the biggest way they protested was the Salt March.