Gandhi

“Gandhi”

PART 1

Characters:

Mohandas Gandhi Leader of the Indian independence movement and a Hindu

Charles Andrews British clergyman who lived in India and visited South Africa once he heard about Gandhi

General Smuts British leader of South Africa

Vince Walker American reporter from the New York Times

Sardar Patel Indian leader of the independence movement and a Hindu

Muhammed Ali Jinnah

Indian leader of the Muslim League and future Prime Minister of Pakistan

Pandit Nehru

Indian leader of the Indian National Congress, a Hindu and future Prime Minister of India

IN SOUTH AFRICA:

1. What did the majority of the Indians in South Africa do to earn a living?

2. What differences did Gandhi hope to eliminate in South Africa?

3. Gandhi made the following statement: “Each man’s labor is as important as another’s…Do it (clean the toilets) with joy or not at all”.

How does this statement fit in with what you already know about the caste system in India?

4. During the meeting to discuss the new law regarding the treatment of Indians in South Africa, Gandhi claimed that he was “prepared to die… but not prepared to kill”. How did Gandhi propose the Indians fight the new law?

5. Charlie Andrews asked his congregation, “How do we treat men who defy (fight) an unjust law?”

a. Why do some walk out?

6. Who won the fight over the treatment of Indians in South Africa, the British or the Indians? ________________

a. What was given up in exchange for this “victory”?

b. Why did Gandhi think that this was acceptable?

IN INDIA:

7. How was Gandhi treated when he returned to India?

8. What types of things did Gandhi see and learn about India when he went on his train trip?

9. Gandhi claimed, “Until we stand in the fields, we will not represent India”. To whom was Gandhi referring to when he said “we”? Do you agree with him? Why or Why not?

10. What desperate situation did the Indian farmers face?

11. Why was the massacre at Amristar a turning point in the Indian-British relations?

12. Why were the British continually putting Gandhi in jail?

13. What message were the Indians sending the British by burning their clothes?

14. What did Gandhi mean when he said, “An eye for eye makes the whole world go blind”?

PART 2

Characters:

Mohandas Gandhi

Leader of the Indian independence movement and a Hindu

Vince Walker

American reporter from the New York Times

Sardar Patel

Indian leader of the independence movement and a Hindu

Muhammed Ali Jinnah

Indian leader of the Muslim League and future Prime Minister of Pakistan

Pandit Nehru

Indian leader of the Indian National Congress, a Hindu and future Prime Minister of India

15. What sign of respect did the court show Gandhi? Why do you think that the judge did this?

16. In the scene where Gandhi tells the reporter Vince Walker about his childhood…

a. What role did religion play in Gandhi’s life as a child?

b. How did most people in India view religion?

17. What was the purpose of having the Indians make their own salt?

18. Gandhi said to the reporter from Life magazine: “Poverty is the worst form of violence”.

Give 2 examples of how the British government was committing this type of violence:

19. When Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are leaving Gandhi’s house in the car, there are many men protesting and waving flags. Why are they protesting? What do they not want Gandhi to do?

20. Why did India split into two countries, India and Pakistan?

21. What point was Gandhi trying to make by staying at a Muslim family’s

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