Mohandas K. Gandhi
By: Leah Holterman
Early Life
Since Gandhi was born into a privileged caste, he was able to get an education but he wasn't the best student. Gandhi got married at the age of 13 to Kasturba Makhanji through the arrangement of their parents. Gandhi later went to college at the University of Bombay, there he was unhappy. He was offered to study abroad and accepted, at the age of 18, Gandhi went to the University College London. He pursued the philosophical study of religions. When he came back to India, jobs were hard to find, he later accepted a year's contract with an Indian firm in Natal, South Africa. Gandhi lived in South Africa for the next 21 years.
His Fame
When Gandhi was in South Africa, he was thrown from a first class train carriage even though he had a valid ticket. From this point on he began to fight segregation at all cost. He made a political movement known as the Natal Indian Congress and started practicing non-violent ways to protest. Gandhi returned to India in 1916, there he spread his word and led peaceful strikes and protests. Soon after, his fame spread and he became known as "Great Soul." Gandhi refused to buy clothes from the British. To do this he made his own clothes, weaving up to hours a day and encouraging others to do so. All of this protesting led to his arrest which he served 2 years out of the 6 year sentence. When he got out Gandhi the Salt March, this was when him and some of his followers set out to the sea cost to make their own salt instead of buying it from the British. The British negotiated with Gandhi which resulted in making poverty better, giving rights to women, and led to his goal of independence from the British. There were six failed attempts of assassinating Gandhi before he was murdered in January of 1948. He was killed by Nathuram Godse when he fatally shot him.
How he affected the World
Gandhi showed the world that you do not have to fight in order to get what you want. In Gandhi's life, he became the leader of an Indian community and developed a political movement based on the methods of nonviolent protest. He became extremely popular to the general public and influenced people's lived. His protest, boycotts, and hunger strikes all led to the independence of Indian
My Reaction
I have heard of Gandhi, but never have actually know what he is popular for. After learning about his life and all he had to go through to reach his goal, it made me feel really lucky that I am able to live in a world where I am able to have freedom and the right to do what I want. He changed the lives of so many people in India and around the world and I find that amazing.
Young Gandhi.
Mohandas K. Gandhi.
Gandhi and his wife, Kasturba Gandhi.
Works Cited
"Mahatma Gandhi." HISTORY. N.p., 19 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.
Nikolov, Chris. "How Gandhi Changed The World." MotivationGrid. N.p., 15 Nov. 2013. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.