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Bella Boyd

Ms. Nutt

World Religions

14 October 2022

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was a very influential man, and his achievements changed the world.

Two of his most significant achievements were fighting racial discrimination in Southern Africa

and leading India to independence from the British empire. Gandhi’s greatest legacy is his

conviction for nonviolence. Gandhi was and still is an inspiration to people all around the world.

Gandhi was 23 years old when he first traveled to Natal, South Africa to work for an

Indian firm. He experienced lots of racial discrimination from Europeans living there. He was

thrown out of a first-class railway compartment, beaten up by a white driver when he wouldn’t

move to the footboards to make room for a European passenger, and banned from staying in

“European only” hotels. Gandhi decided to make a move and defend his dignity as an Indian.

Later, the Natal Legislative Assembly were considering passing a bill disallowing Indians the

right to vote. Gandhi wrote petitions and had hundreds of his compatriots sign it. Despite his

efforts, the law was still passed, but it did draw attention from the press and the public to the

hardships of Indians. Gandhi and his followers began using a technique called satyagraha, which

was a way of revolting using nonviolence. For 7 more years, the Indians lead by Gandhi, fought

against the European government. Many people gave up their lives and endured much suffering

during that time. Finally, the South African government gave in and accepted a compromise

Gandhi proposed. Gandhi’s work in South Africa reaped great benefits.

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Gandhi returned to India in 1914. After World War 1, Britain tightened restrictions on

civil liberties. Gandhi decided to lead a protest. He told people to take their children out of

British run schools, to quit their government jobs, boycott the law, and refuse to buy imported

cloth. Lots of people supported Gandhi, but some started violent riots, so Gandhi stopped the

protests. Later, Gandhi was arrested for writing articles encouraging people to resist colonial

rule. Two years later he was released, and he led thousands of people on a 240-mile march to the

sea. He and the people with him took salt from the ocean, breaking the law against having salt

that was not bought from the British monopoly. A little later, Gandhi started a campaign to stop

discrimination against the “untouchables.” Some improvement for the equality of “untouchables”

occurred, but not much. During World War 2, there was a movement calling for the British to

“Quit India”. Winstin Churchill was opposed to this, but the British people outvoted him. India

was freed from British rule. After this, there was lots of political violence between the Muslims

and Hindus over who should be in charge. Gandhi tried to encourage people to create peace and

have forgiveness. Finally, there was an agreement that India would be dominated by the Hindus

and the Muslims would be in Pakistan. Gandhi did not agree with this. Violence erupted between

Hindus and Muslims and Gandhi traveled to the places of violence to try to bring peace. He

began a fast and told everyone that he would continue until there was peace. Finally, Hindu and

Muslim leaders came to him pledging peace. On January 30, 1948, Muhamad was shot and killed

while attending a prayer meeting. Gandhi had done countless things that helped others during his

life. Gandhi lived to bring peace and equality to many who were suffering.
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Works Cited

Bria 16 3 B bringing down an empire: Gandhi and civil disobedience. Constitutional Rights
Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-
rights-in-action/bria-16-3-b-bringing-down-an-empire-gandhi-and-civil-disobedience

Nanda, B. R. (2022, September 28). Resistance and results. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved
October 16, 2022, from
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Resistance-and-results