Indian National Congress

Indian National Congress

• First national organization of Indians to seek a voice in government

• Western educated individuals • Attempt to gain more influence in British rule • Gandhi joins

Jawaharlal Nehru

• Supporter of Gandhi • Protested British policies • Supported independence/democracy • Educated people about India’s issues– Encouraged them to vote

Mohammed Ali Jinnah

• United with Hindus initially• Eventually calls for separate Muslim state• Architect of Pakistan’s independence

Satyagraha

• Describes form of non-violent political resistance

• One of the most successful forms of political activism in modern history

• Combination of Hindu and Christian ideas• Non violence and loving your enemy

The Amritsar Massacre

• Turning point in independence movement • British troops open fire on a crowd in walled

garden • Radicalization of nationalism

The Salt March

• Tax on salt doubles • Burdened poorest people in India • Gandhi and followers march to sea• Illegally make salt – Arrested, non violence serves as inspiration

Indian Independence Act of 1947

• Granted India independence from Britain • Partitioned British India into two separate

states – India and Pakistan

• Religious riots as an effect– Muslims migrate from “would be India”; Hindus

migrate from “would be Pakistan”