Question

Gandhi began to see that there was a way for the indentured Indians to strengthen themselves without having to rely on machetes and guns. Freedom, he realized, did not come only from rising up against oppressors or tyrants. It could also be found in oneself. The mere fact that the sugar masters treated their workers as some form of property did not mean the Indians had to accept that definition. In fact, it was up to them to claim, to assert, their own worth, their own value. A man who had his inner, personal dignity was free—no matter how a boss tried to bully him. Gandhi’s years in South Africa became a laboratory, as he experimented with how to be a truthful, free person. Finally, he was ready to put his ideas into practice.

How does the evidence support the central idea that Gandhi decided it was time to replace violence with nonviolent protest?

The evidence notes that Gandhi encouraged indentured Indians to get rid of their weapons.
The evidence reveals Gandhi’s belief that workers should peacefully accept how they are treated.
The evidence shows how Gandhi experimented with ways to assert one’s dignity and be free.
The evidence indicates that bosses bullied workers, which Gandhi knew led to violence.

Answer 1

The evidence shows how Gandhi experimented with ways to assert one’s dignity and be free.

Explanation: The passage says he sought strength “without having to rely on machetes and guns,” developed inner, personal dignity as freedom, and used his South Africa years as a “laboratory” to test these nonviolent methods before putting them into practice.