English Reading Practice: #1 (Advanced) | Mahatma Gandhi

Summary

This video exercise highlights the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian lawyer and anti-colonial nationalist who led India’s successful struggle for independence from British rule using nonviolent resistance. It covers his early years, his work in South Africa, his return to India, and his leadership in campaigns for social and political reforms. Gandhi’s commitment to simplicity, religious pluralism, and peaceful resistance is emphasized, as well as his tragic assassination in 1948. The video concludes by promoting further English language learning through vocabulary-building resources.

Takeaways

• 😀 Gandhi was an Indian lawyer and anti-colonial nationalist who led the successful campaign for India's independence using nonviolent resistance.
• 😀 The honorific 'Mahatma,' meaning 'great-souled' or 'venerable,' was first applied to Gandhi in 1914 in South Africa and is now globally recognized.
• 😀 Gandhi was born in Gujarat, India, and trained in law in London, before moving to South Africa where he first employed nonviolent resistance.
• 😀 Gandhi's leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921 led to major campaigns for poverty alleviation, women's rights, religious harmony, and self-rule.
• 😀 He symbolized solidarity with India's rural poor by adopting the Indian loincloth and shawl, both hand-spun on a traditional spinning wheel.
• 😀 Gandhi used fasting as a form of self-purification and political protest, undertaking long fasts to promote his nonviolent principles.
• 😀 The Dandi Salt March of 1930, a 400 km protest against the British-imposed salt tax, became one of Gandhi's most iconic acts of resistance.
• 😀 Gandhi called for the British to 'Quit India' in 1942, resulting in multiple imprisonments during the struggle for independence.
• 😀 The partition of India in 1947 into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan was accompanied by religious violence, which Gandhi sought to mitigate.
• 😀 Gandhi's assassination in 1948 by a Hindu nationalist was due to his conciliatory stance towards Muslims, which some viewed as too accommodating.
• 😀 Gandhi’s birthday, October 2, is celebrated as a national holiday in India and as the International Day of Nonviolence worldwide.

Q & A

Who was Mahatma Gandhi and what role did he play in India's history?

Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian lawyer and anti-colonial nationalist who led the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule using nonviolent resistance. He is also known for inspiring civil rights movements around the world.

What does the honorific 'Mahatma' mean, and how did it relate to Gandhi?

'Mahatma' is a Sanskrit word meaning 'great-souled' or 'venerable.' It was first applied to Gandhi in 1914 in South Africa and has since become a global title for him, reflecting his moral authority and leadership.

Where did Gandhi train as a lawyer, and how did his career begin?

Gandhi trained in law at the Inner Temple in London and was called to the bar in 1891. After struggling to establish a successful practice in India, he moved to South Africa in 1893 to represent an Indian merchant in a lawsuit.

What significant event marked Gandhi's first use of nonviolent resistance?

Gandhi first employed nonviolent resistance during his 21 years in South Africa, where he led a campaign for civil rights for the Indian community.

What was Gandhi's main objective upon returning to India in 1915?

Upon returning to India in 1915, Gandhi aimed to organize peasants, farmers, and urban laborers to protest against excessive land taxes and discrimination, and to fight for India's independence.

What was the significance of Gandhi adopting the Indian loincloth (dhoti)?

Gandhi adopted the Indian loincloth, or dhoti, as a symbol of solidarity with India's rural poor. He also wore hand-woven cloth, produced on traditional spinning wheels, to promote self-sufficiency and economic independence for India.

What was the Dandi Salt March, and why was it important?

The Dandi Salt March was a 400 km protest led by Gandhi in 1930 against the British-imposed salt tax. It became a pivotal moment in India's fight for independence and highlighted Gandhi's strategy of nonviolent resistance.

What was Gandhi's role in the partition of India in 1947?

Gandhi opposed the partition of India, which resulted in the creation of Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. He worked to stop religious violence during the partition, even undertaking several fasts to promote peace.

How did Gandhi die, and what was the motivation behind his assassination?

Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, by a Hindu nationalist who believed that Gandhi was too accommodating to Muslims, especially in the context of the partition and post-independence tensions.

What is the significance of Gandhi's birthday, October 2?

Gandhi's birthday, October 2, is commemorated as a national holiday in India, known as Gandhi Jayanti, and is observed globally as the International Day of Nonviolence. It honors his philosophy of nonviolence and his contributions to global peace.