The Power of a Single Grain: Gandhi's Salt March
In the early 1900s, India was ruled by Great Britain. The Indian people wanted the freedom to govern their own country. One of the most famous leaders of this independence movement was Mohandas Gandhi, often called Mahatma, which means "Great Soul." Gandhi believed in a powerful idea called satyagraha, which means "truth-force" or peaceful resistance. He believed that people could fight against unfair laws without using violence.
In 1930, Gandhi decided to protest a very unfair British law about salt. In India, salt was a daily necessity. It kept food fresh and helped people stay healthy in the hot climate. However, the British government made it illegal for Indians to gather or sell their own salt. Instead, they had to buy it from the British and pay a high tax on it. This hurt poor families the most, who could barely afford to buy food. Gandhi knew that protesting the salt tax was the perfect way to unite all Indians.
- satyagraha:
- A policy of peaceful resistance or protest to achieve social or political reform.
- ashram:
- A place of retreat, community living, or spiritual study.
- independence:
- Freedom from outside control or influence; the power of a country to govern itself.
- protest:
- An action or statement showing strong disapproval of or objection to something.
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- 1Who ruled India in the early 1900s?
- 2What does the name 'Mahatma' mean?
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About this biography passage for Upper Elementary
“The Power of a Single Grain: Gandhi's Salt March” is a biography reading passage about The Salt March and Peaceful Resistance, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (404 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.