Social Studies
Name: _________________________
Directions: Complete the following questions using the website listed below.
http://www.history.com/topics/mahatma-gandhi
1. Gandhi was also known to his many followers as “Mahatma”. What does this
word mean?
2. When and where was Gandhi born?
3. At the age of ___, Mohandas left home to ______________________ at the Inner
Temple, one of the city’s four law colleges. Upon returning to India in mid-1891,
he set up a ________________________, but met with little success. He soon
accepted a position with an Indian firm that sent him to its office in ____________.
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4. Briefly explain what Gandhi experienced in South Africa, in terms of
discrimination, and how he felt about it.
5. Why was getting thrown off of the train in South Africa such an important event
in Gandhi’s life?
6. Gandhi began using his technique of protest, called passive resistance, first in
South Africa.
a. What prompted (caused) Gandhi to begin a campaign of passive
resistance in South Africa?
b. How long did this campaign in South Africa last for?
c. What did the campaign of passive resistance finally achieve?
7. In July 1914, Gandhi left South Africa to _______________. He supported the British
war effort in World War I but __________________________________________________
_________________________.
8. What were the “Rowlatt Acts”?
9. What did Gandhi advocate for during his non-cooperation campaign in India?
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10. What is khaddar?
11. Why do you think Gandhi advocated the manufacture of khaddar among
Indians?
12. According to the website, why did Gandhi’s followers call him “Mahatma”?
13. What caused Gandhi to be sentenced to prison for six years in 1922?
14. Using a dictionary or a website such as dictionary.com find the definition to
sedition.
15. What caused Gandhi to end his resistance movement in India, before he was
placed in prison?
16. He refrained from active participation in politics for the next several years, but in
1930 launched a new civil disobedience campaign against the colonial
government’s __________, which greatly affected Indian’s poorest citizens.
17. Why did some of Gandhi’s supporters (and INC colleagues) grow frustrated with
Gandhi in the 1930’s?
18. Gandhi began a series of ______________ in protest of the treatment of India’s socalled _______________ (the poorer classes), whom he renamed Harijans, or
___________________ The fasting caused an uproar among his followers and
resulted in swift reforms by the Hindu community and the government.
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19. What occurred to India once it gained its independence from Britain?
20. Briefly explain Gandhi’s death, including who killed him and why.
21. Overall, why do you think Gandhi is often viewed as an important historical
figure? Explain your reasoning.
©Copyright Brodie Millar 2014. (http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Brodie-Millar)
Teacher Key
Name: _________________________
Directions: Complete the following questions using the website listed below.
http://www.history.com/topics/mahatma-gandhi
22. Gandhi was also known to his many followers as “Mahatma”. What does this
word mean?
Mahatma means “the great-souled one”.
23. When and where was Gandhi born?
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, at Porbandar, in the
present-day Indian state of Gujarat.
24. At the age of 19, Mohandas left home to study law in London at the Inner
Temple, one of the city’s four law colleges. Upon returning to India in mid-1891,
he set up a law practice in Bombay, but met with little success. He soon
accepted a position with an Indian firm that sent him to its office in South Africa.
©Copyright Brodie Millar 2014. (http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Brodie-Millar)
25. Briefly explain what Gandhi experienced in South Africa, in terms of
discrimination, and how he felt about it.
Gandhi was appalled by the discrimination he experienced as an Indian immigrant in
South Africa. When a European magistrate in Durban asked him to take off his turban,
he refused and left the courtroom. On a train voyage to Pretoria, he was thrown out of
a first-class railway compartment and beaten up by a white stagecoach driver after
refusing to give up his seat for a European passenger.
26. Why was getting thrown off of the train in South Africa such an important event
in Gandhi’s life?
It was a turning point in his life and he soon began developing and teaching the
concept of satyagraha (“truth and firmness”), or passive resistance, as a way of noncooperation with authorities.
27. Gandhi began using his technique of protest, called passive resistance, first in
South Africa.
a. What prompted (caused) Gandhi to begin a campaign of passive
resistance in South Africa?
In 1906, the Transvaal government (South African government) passed an ordinance
regarding the registration of its Indian population.
b. How long did this campaign in South Africa last for?
8 years
c. What did the campaign of passive resistance finally achieve?
Finally, under pressure from the British and Indian governments, the government of
South Africa accepted a compromise negotiated by Gandhi and General Jan
Christian Smuts, which included important concessions such as the recognition of Indian
marriages and the abolition of the existing poll tax for Indians.
28. In July 1914, Gandhi left South Africa to return to India. He supported the British
war effort in World War I but remained critical of colonial authorities for measures
he felt were unjust.
29. What were the “Rowlatt Acts”?
It gave colonial authorities emergency powers to suppress subversive activities.
30. What did Gandhi advocate for during his non-cooperation campaign in India?
As part of his nonviolent non-cooperation campaign for home rule, Gandhi stressed the
importance of economic independence for India.
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31. What is khaddar?
A homespun cloth.
32. Why do you think Gandhi advocated the manufacture of khaddar among
Indians?
Indians were dependent on British textiles and therefore Britain benefited greatly from
selling its goods to Indians. Gandhi would have argued in favor of Indians creating their
own cloth as a form of protest and allow India more economic independence from
Britain.
33. According to the website, why did Gandhi’s followers call him “Mahatma”?
Gandhi’s eloquence and embrace of an ascetic lifestyle based on prayer, fasting and
meditation earned him the reverence of his followers.
34. What caused Gandhi to be sentenced to prison for six years in 1922?
British authorities arrested Gandhi in March 1922 and tried him for sedition; he was
sentenced to six years in prison.
35. Using a dictionary or a website such as dictionary.com find the definition to
sedition.
“Incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority.”
36. What caused Gandhi to end his resistance movement in India, before he was
placed in prison?
After sporadic violence broke out, Gandhi announced the end of the resistance
movement.
37. He refrained from active participation in politics for the next several years, but in
1930 launched a new civil disobedience campaign against the colonial
government’s tax on salt, which greatly affected Indian’s poorest citizens.
38. Why did some of Gandhi’s supporters (and INC colleagues) grow frustrated with
Gandhi in the 1930’s?
Some of his party colleagues–particularly Mohammed Ali Jinnah, a leading voice for
India’s Muslim minority–grew frustrated with Gandhi’s methods, and what they saw as a
lack of concrete gains.
39. Gandhi began a series of hunger strikes in protest of the treatment of India’s socalled “untouchables” (the poorer classes), whom he renamed Harijans, or
“children of God.” The fasting caused an uproar among his followers and
resulted in swift reforms by the Hindu community and the government.
©Copyright Brodie Millar 2014. (http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Brodie-Millar)
40. What occurred to India once it gained its independence from Britain?
Britain granted India its independence but split the country into two dominions: India
and Pakistan.
41. Briefly explain Gandhi’s death, including who killed him and why.
On January 30, Gandhi was on his way to an evening prayer meeting in Delhi when he
was shot to death by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic enraged by Mahatma’s efforts
to negotiate with Jinnah and other Muslims.
42. Overall, why do you think Gandhi is often viewed as an important historical
figure? Explain your reasoning.
*** Due to the nature of this question, student responses may vary.
Student responses could focus on the idea that Gandhi is revered for his use of passive
resistance in the face of British imperialism in India and used non-violent means to
combat discrimination.
©Copyright Brodie Millar 2014. (http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Brodie-Millar)