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“Nonviolence is much more than not fighting or not being in a war. It's the kind of relationships we have with people and the kind of attitude we share toward one another.” -Arun Gandhi (Mohandas K. Gandhi’s grandson)

Gandhi is a name that transcends country, state and continental borders. His messages and practices have created a legacy that impacts the world to this day. The method of nonviolence demonstrated in the Salt March shaped the Civil Rights Movement and continues to influence social change. How can one man ignite such vast empowerment within a population that had been oppressed by British rule for over seventy years? Mohandas Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in the village of Probandar. At the time, around two thirds of India was ruled by the British Empire, referred to as British Raj (BBC News). Probandar was a minority within India; it was a princely state meaning the land legally belonged to India, not Britain. Gandhi’s father, Karamchand, was a local politician who was accepting of different religions; he had Muslim, Parsee and Jains friends. His mother, Putlibai, an illiterate devout Hindu, took her religion very seriously and tried to instill such beliefs in Gandhi. Following Hindu tradition, Gandhi was set up by his parents to be married at the age of 13 (Singh). In 1885, Karamchand passed away causing Gandhi to become the head of the household. He was sent to England by his family at the age of 19 to study law and attain a job to support them. However, elders in his caste did not approve of such travels, believing Gandhi would lose sight of his beliefs and become westernized. Regardless, Gandhi chose to go and was consequently expelled from his caste. Recognizing the importance of his culture though, Gandhi vowed to his mother that he would not touch wine or meat while in London to honor his Hindu religion (BBC News). Gandhi’s

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