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Mahatma Gandhi and working with dates

Mahatma Gandhi’s life and time in South Africa, and working with dates. Read one part at a time and tap “I know this”. Then test yourself in the quiz.

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His life on a timeline

1869Born on 2 October inPorbandar, India1893Comes to South Africa;thrown off the train atPietermaritzburg1894Helps start the Natal IndianCongress1913Leads the Great March(November)1914Goes back to India1947India wins independence fromBritain1948Died on 30 January
1913 goes on the timeline between 1894 and 1914.
The station in Pietermaritzburg, 1893.
The station in Pietermaritzburg, 1893.
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Working with dates

QuestionSumAnswer
How long in South Africa?1914 − 189321 years
Gandhi (1869) and Mandela (1918) born1918 − 186949 years apart
Great March to Mandela’s birth1918 − 19135 years
Mandela jailed for life (1964) to release (1990)1990 − 196426 years
Rule

How many years between two dates? Subtract the earlier year from the later year.

In 1894 Gandhi helped start the Natal Indian Congress. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and released in 1990, so he spent about 27 years in prison altogether (26 of them after his life sentence in 1964). That is longer than the 21 years Gandhi spent in South Africa. The last event of all these: South Africa’s first democratic election (1994).

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Remember this and test yourself

Remember this: your summary
  • Born 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, India; Mahatma means “great soul”.
  • 1893 thrown off the train at Pietermaritzburg: he had a first-class ticket, but a white passenger objected to sharing the carriage with an Indian man, and Gandhi was told to move to another carriage. He refused and was put off the train.
  • Passive resistance: peaceful protest without violence. He was jailed several times.
  • The Great March (November 1913), with more than 2 000 people, against unfair laws and taxes.
  • 1914 back to India; India wins independence from Britain in 1947; he dies on 30 January 1948, aged 78.

Write these points in your book. Read them again the night before the test.

Memory trick

Years between dates? Big minus small: the later year minus the earlier year.

Flash cards · Tap to turn over

Important words

First say what the word means, then turn the card over.

Test yourself · Part 2

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