Indian Nationalism Dbq

Nationalism proved to be very effective for the colonized people as it sparked up, in India, with the start of World War 1, and in Southeast Asia with the growth of Western political and economic interest. We hear about nationalism all the time, but I feel like not a lot of people know what it means. Britannica defines it as “An ideology based on the premise that the individual’s loyalty and devotion to the nation-state surpass other individual or group interests.” (Kohn). Nationalism helps a group of people form a sense of unity with each other, however, I think that nationalism could be a possible pathway to war and violence. Nationalism played a large part amongst the colonized people in India and Southeast Asia, and I hope to explore its impact on the freedom of their homelands.
Let us begin by discussing the development of nationalism in India. Nationalism can be lightly traced back to a rebellion called the Indian Mutiny in 1857. This mostly sparked from the Sepoys refusing to use cartridges greased from pork or beef. According to our document “The Indian Revolt”, “The overt ground of the general mutiny was offence to caste feelings, given by the

Gandhi sent a letter with a wide-range of demands and the idea that everyone in Indian society could identify with them and become unified. (Kumar). Gandhi and his followers marched hundreds of miles in unity as a sign of devotion to their cause and beliefs. Those in the march were brutally beaten yet they kept marching. The world watched the Salt March, and as a result, Gandhi won worldwide support for his cause. Before his march, Gandhi had this to say, “I have faith in the righteousness of our cause and the purity of our weapons. And where the means are clean, there God is undoubtedly present with His blessings.” (Gandhi). This statement perfectly embodies the nationalist movement and what he was trying to convey with his