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Mahatma Gandhi
Nickname: Father of India
Famous for: revolution without violence
Born: October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India
Died: January 30, 1948 in New Delhi, India
Married: Kasturba Gandhi in 1883 and had four children: Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas and Devdas
Profession: Studied law at University College London, UK
Non-violent revolutionary
Find words that mean: unjust, complain, murdered
Gandhi?s family were quite wealthy and important people. His father was prime minister of Porbandar, a small state in India. His mother was very religious. She taught young Gandhi the importance of kindness, self-sacrifice and tolerance.
Gandhi studied law in England. He then went to South Africa, which was a part of the British Empire. In Africa Gandhi discovered he could buy a first-class train ticket but he was not allowed to sit in a first-class carriage because of the colour of his skin! There were many more unfair laws.
Gandhi decided to fight against the unfairness. But he refused to use violence. Gandhi and his supporters protested peacefully. They were jailed but eventually the government changed the laws. In 1915 Gandhi returned to India. At that time India was part of the British Empire. Gandhi wanted Indian independence. He protested peacefully and was jailed a few times. But in July 1947 India was given independence.
Although he was a famous leader, Gandhi didn?t take an official job in the new government. Instead, he travelled through India trying to make peace between Hindus and Muslims.
But not everyone liked Gandhi?s peacefulness. He was assassinated on January 30, 1948 by Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse. 
Today many people think of Gandhi as a saint. He is nicknamed Mahatma, meaning ?great soul?
How salt shook the empire
In March, 1930, Gandhi launched a protest against the  salt monopoly held by the British. In those days it was illegal for anyone to make their own salt. From March 12  to April 6, Gandhi and his followers walked more than  400km from Ahmedabad to Dandi.
At the end of the march, Gandhi picked up a few grains  of natural salt. Thousands of people joined him on the  march and around 60,000 were arrested. Even though the marchers were savagely beaten by police, they never resorted to violence or even lifted a hand to protect themselves. Gandhi?s salt march did not result in the salt laws being changed much, but it had shown to the world the power of peaceful demonstration.
Fasting for peace
Fill in the gaps: to listen to, to make up, to make
When Hindu and Muslim Indians fought each other, Gandhi talked to both sides. Sometimes he convinced people _______ and be friends. But sometimes people would not listen.
In September 1947, Muslim and Hindu Indians began fighting in Calcutta.
When they refused ________ Gandhi?s message of peace, he began to fast, or refuse to eat. People became so worried he would die that they stopped fighting.
Gandhi never used violence but he knew how ________ people listen!
Caste system
Find words that mean the opposite to: least, top, worse.
Hindus in India are born into social groups called castes. Their caste controls what jobs they can do, whom they marry, and other important things. 
The Brahmans or priests are the most important. Second are the Kshatriyas who are kings, soldiers, or big landowners. Third are the Vaishyas who are farmers or traders. Fourth are the Shudras who are labourers or artists.
At the bottom are the Untouchables. These are people who do 'dirty' jobs like cleaning streets and toilets. Most Indians look down on the Untouchables but Gandhi didn't. He called them Children of God and tried to get them better jobs, better education and jobs in the government.
Man of the cloth
One of Gandhi?s tools of non-violence was to boycott foreign goods, including British textiles. Britain?s industrial growth had left many local artisans unemployed. He urged people to take a little time every day to spin their own cloth to support his country?s move to independence. This cloth is called khadi, and to this day, the Indian flag can only be made out of khadi. 
This movement brought employment to poverty-stricken rural areas and pursuaded women to support his cause. It helped to make the nation self-sufficient. Making and wearing homespun cloth gave Indians a way to support Gandhi?s cause in a respectable way. It focused their minds on the singular thought of independence.
Answers
September 2
The Great Warrior King: whispered, battle, persuaded
Terrifying Pony-back Soldiers: frightening, conquer, remembered
Partying with Attila the Hun: diplomat, ornaments, toasted, musicians, king
True or false: 1. T, 2. F, 3. T, 4. T, 5. T




History-makers Part 2: Mahatma Gandhi