Ancestry Project

The Salt March

Salt March

The Salt March, which lasted from March 20th to April 5th, 1930, was a protest against the British led by Mohandas Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi. The Indians were not allowed to independently make or sell salt and many Indians who were poor could not afford to buy it. In the 1930s, Gandhi decided to lead a protest against the British by marching to the coast of the Arabian Sea to get salt. He started the march with a few dozen followers, but ended it with hundreds more. The total length of the Salt March was 240 miles long or 386 kilometers.

British Raj

Trade in India was highly valued, but it was a challenge getting there and back. So, the Britishers wanted the East India Company to help them trade. The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 caused the British to take control of the East India Company's assets. The British then forced direct rule over India. Then, over time, the British gained more and more control of India which in turn, resulted in British Raj. British Raj lasted from 1858 to 1947, when India got their independence.

The Importance of the Salt March

Importance of the Salt March

The Salt March was an important time in history and an effective protest against the British. The Salt March led to thousands of people getting arrested, including Gandhi. The Salt March united many Indians together to protest against the British for their freedom. Everyone on the march played an important role in getting their freedom from the British.

Muljibhai's protests

Muljibhai's Protests

Muljibhai protested against the British by going on the Salt March and by buying and wearing khadi. This is important because he was supporting low-income Indians and he was boycotting the British clothing industry. Everyone in India had to do their part in trying to get freedom from the British and this was my great-grandfather's way of protesting.

Muljibhai

Muljibhai Patel was my great-grandfather. He was born on July 31, 1914 in Sojitra, Gujarat, India. He died on August 10, 2001 in Delaware, United States of America. He was 87 years old when he passed away and he lived during and after the British ruled India. Muljibhai did not like being treated as a second class citizen. He thought it was unfair that he was taxed more than the British and because of that he protested against the British by wearing khadi and going on the Salt March. The Salt March started in Gujarat. He chose to go on the Salt March because he was proud of being an Indian and was happy to go with Mahatma Gandhi on the march. All of the Indians were united on the Salt March. After the march Muljibhai continued his studies and graduated with a major in science. Muljibhai lived with simple principles and continued to wear khadi.

Muljibhai

Protests Muljibhai did

Protests Muljibhai did against the British

Muljibhai protested against the British by going on the Salt march and wearing khadi. When he went on the Salt march Muljibhai was only 16 years old. He was in 10th grade and skipped one exam to go with Gandhi on the march. He chose to wear khadi to support poor Indians who could not afford much. Khadi is a hand-spinned cotton clothing woven by Indians. Muljibhai protested the British clothing industry by not buying polyester, silk products.