Indian Imperialism

Evaluation and Conclusion

Nationalist Revolution in India

Benton Wishart

European ideas and concepts about democracy and nationalism fuel independence movements in India and eventually around the globe by creating a common enemy. India had been brought together to a whole by the British's rule and created a group much stronger than the Parliament of Britain. Through boycotts, fasts, and many marches India stood together as one, and gained independence. This would not have been possible if Hindus and Muslims did not come together. In conclusion, because of Britain's tough rule and the joining of sides of Hindus and Muslims, India gained self independence.

Limited Self Rule

All of the boycotts, demonstrations and noncooperation soon gave Gandhi and his followers the rewards of their civil disobedience campaigns. This gained greater political power for the Indian people, and in 1935 the British Parliament passed the Government of India Act. This act provided local self-government and limited democratic elections, but not total independence.

Division about India's Future

The Government of India Act

Hindus and Muslims had always had conflict ion visions. They were brought together because of a common enemy, but when this enemy was defeated Hindus and Muslims were torn back apart. The Government of India Act fueled tensions between Muslims and Hindus because of the differences in opinions of India’s future as

an independent nation. Indian Muslims, which were outnumbered by Hindus, feared that

Hindus would control India if it won independence.

Causes

Work Cited

• Rise of Indian Nationalism [Photograph]. (2017, January 24). Indian.
• Contribution of Hindu Spiritual Nationalism in India’s Freedom Struggle [Photograph]. (2017, January 24). Contribution of Hindu Spiritual Nationalism in India's Freedom Struggle, India.
• Indian Nationalism Between the Wars [Photograph]. (2017, January 26). Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in Porbandar, Gujarat, in North West India.
• The 1942 Quit India Movement: The Violent End of British Rule in India [Photograph]. (2017, January 26). India.
• India movement anniversary [Photograph]. (2017, January 28).
• Gandhi Salt March [Photograph]. (2017, January 28). Gandhi Salt March.
• The Salt March [Photograph]. (2017, January 28).
• Image result for the government of India act Main Provisions of the Indian Act [Photograph]. (2017, January 28).
• History of India [Photograph]. (2017, January 28).
• Indian People [Photograph]. (2017, January 28).

Gandhi and Nonviolence

Mohandas K. Gandhi

Boycotts

Indians learned about democracy and nationalism through the European views that were taught to them at the British schools they attended.

Gandhi's reputation and leadership lead him to be a figure head in the Indian culture at that time. Gandhi called on Indians to refuse to buy British goods and attend government schools. Along with this he demanded them to refuse to pay British taxes, or vote in elections. Gandhi also boycotted British cloth which was a major source wealth for the British. He also urged all Indians to weave their own cloth. Gandhi followed through on his protest by devoting two hours each day to spinning his own yarn on a hand wheel. He wore only homespun cloth and encouraged Indians to follow his lead. As a result of the boycott, the sale of British cloth in India dropped sharply. These boycotts were very successful to the Indians and Muslims. This helped them out immensely.

The massacre at Amritsar gave Gandhi the ability to become the leader of the independence movement. Gandhi’s strategy for battling injustice started with a religious approach then went to political activity. His teachings blended ideas from all of the major world religions, including Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. Gandhi attracted millions of followers. They then began calling him the Mahatma, meaning “great soul.” Gandhi's tactics originated from his deeply religious background.

The Salt March

According to British laws, Indians could buy salt from no other source but the government, because of this Gandhi organized a demonstration to defy the hated Salt

Acts. Gandhi and his followers walked about 240 miles to the seacoast, where they then

began to make their own salt by collecting seawater and letting it evaporate. This peaceful protest was called the Salt March.

Noncooperation

The British did not punish the officers who took part in the Amristar Massacre. This caused Gandhi to urge the Indian National Congress to follow the policy of Noncooperation with the British. In 1920 they endorsed Civil Obedience which was the act of refusing or not obeying an unjust law. India used this to weaken the British Governments authority, and as precursor to many more boycotts.

Soon afterward, some demonstrators planned a march to a site where the British government processed salt. They intended to shut this salt works down. Police officers with steel-tipped clubs attacked these protestors. An American journalist was an eyewitness, and he described the “sickening whacks of clubs on unprotected skulls” and people “writhing in pain with fractured skulls or broken shoulders.” The protesters continued to march peacefully. Newspapers across the globe carried the journalist’s story. This event gave Gandhi world=wide supports for his independence acts. Eventually, about 60,000 people, including Gandhi, were arrested.

Indian nationalism was growing rapidly in the 1900s. Because of the growing Nationalism two groups formed to get all the foreign rule out. These two groups were called the Hindu National Congress and the Muslim League. Even though these two groups had deep divisions, they found common ground.

Because of World War I and many discrepancies Indian nationalism grew larger and larger

During World War I many Indians enlisted to fight for Britain. Britain promised that because of their efforts to help they would pass reforms that would lead to Indian self government. Most Indians started to care about Indian Nationalism once Britain's promise fell through and Indians went back to being treated as second class citizens

Strikes and Demonstrations

After Britain's failed promise violence erupted. Trying to stall these efforts Britain passed the Rowlett Acts which allowed Britain to jail any protestors with no trail for as long as two years

Gandhi’s had a huge weapon against the British: civil disobedience. It took a large economic toll on the British and made them struggled to keep trains running, factories operating, and overcrowded jails from bursting. Throughout 1920, the British arrested thousands of Indians who had participated in strikes and demonstrations. But despite Gandhi’s pleas for nonviolence, protests often led to riots.

To protest the Rowlett Acts the Muslim League went to Amritsar to fast and pray, and even some Hindus went along. The large gathering alarmed the British especially because the Hindus and Muslims were getting along. Britain had also recently banned public meetings, which most people did not know about, but the British commanded that was stationed in Amritsar thought they were openly defying the ban. The commander ordered to open fire, which went on for ten minutes killing 400 and wounding 1,200