Revolt of 1857: Causes

• Acknowledgment of student youtube0's vocabulary skills with playful teasing about class attendance.
• The Revolt of 1857 is also known as the First War of Indian Independence.

Background to the Revolt of 1857

• India was once called the "golden bird" due to its rich resources.
• Vasco da Gama's arrival brought European powers seeking trade and wealth to India.
• The British exploited divisions among Indian kingdoms for their own benefit.
• The population grew unhappy with British rule, leading to the desire for revolt.

Political Causes of the Revolt

• The British started conquering Indian territories after the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
• India's east coast was valuable for trade due to its waterways.
• The decline of the Mughal Empire led to the rise of independent kingdoms, which lacked unity.
• British policies enabled acquisition of political power, eliminating tax obligations for the British.
• The Doctrine of Lapse was implemented, annexing kingdoms without a natural heir to the ruler.
• The Subsidiary Alliance system restricted rulers from maintaining armies and engaging with other European powers.
• Annexation occurred on the grounds of misrule, as in the case of Avadh.
• Kingdoms with alliances with the British felt betrayed and angered by these policies.

Disrespect Towards Bahadur Shah Zafar

• Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor, faced disrespect, including being forced to leave the Red Fort and having his name removed from coins.
• The British stopped pension payments to Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Baji Rao II, and forced him to live in Kanpur, angering the Maratha community.
• Rani Lakshmibai's adopted son wasn't accepted as an heir, leading to the annexation of Jhansi and her participation in the revolt.

Absent Sovereignty

• The British, through the East India Company, indirectly ruled India and drained its wealth.
• The British "plundered" wealth while taking credit for it.

Social and Religious Causes

• There was outside interference with social customs.
• The British imposed social reforms without considering local sentiments, such as banning Sati and promoting widow remarriage.
• Sati involved widows being burned alive upon their husband's death before it was outlawed.
• Reforms felt imposed, as the population was not literate enough to consider and agree.
• The British did not ask for considerations and were seen as interfering with Indian culture.
• Modern innovations were introduced through fear, alongside issues of racial discrimination.

Modern Innovations

• Resistance to innovations like railways arose due to caste issues.
• Rumors spread that telegraph poles were used to hang those opposing the British.
• Racial discrimination policies were in place at the time.
• Loss of property.
• The Religious Disabilities Act of 1850 prevented Hindu individuals from passing on property to their children unless they converted to Christianity.

Activities of Missionaries

• There were criticisms of idol worship.
• Communities believed in plans were in place to convert religions to Christianity.
• This caused a push-back and anger towards the British.

Economic Causes

• Economic resources were extracted.
• British authorities mandated the supply of raw materials to Britain.
• British ready-made goods were created from Indian materials and sold cheaply.
• Goods from Britain entered India tariff-free, while Indian goods were heavily taxed.
• Resulting in industrial decline and unemployment.
• Wealth was drained.
• Everything earned was sent back to Britain.
• Local industries collapsed, making competing with machine power difficult.

Indian Peasantry

• Indian peasantry was exploited.
• Heavy taxes were imposed and collected.
• The poor could not afford these prices, leading to farmers selling land.
• The Emnam Commission was started to auction land to traders with the aim of making things better, however it got worse.
• This led to poverty, famine, and misery.

Poverty

• People were very poor due to economic exploitation.
• Local Indian industries shut down.
• Wealth was drained out of India.
• High taxes were enforced.
• Agriculture suffered due to lack of British investment.
• People were going hungry.
• At least 12 major and minor famines spread from 1857 to 1865 due to British incompetence.
• The landed aristocracy declined.
• Peasant farmers were forced to grow indigo, destroying other crops.
• Unemployment rose.
• Soldiers in fallen states became unemployed.
• High posts remained out of reach for the local population.

Military Causes

• Soldiers' rights were being disregarded in various ways.
• Indian soldiers were not paid properly.
• They weren't given adequate food.
• They weren't allowed to outwardly show their caste or religion.
• Discrimination existed, soldiers were not allowed to rise up through ranks, only reaching Subedar.
• Even then, they were paid less than their British counterparts.
• There were fewer amenities and not enough British soldiers.
• Limited numbers of British soldiers were placed in key positions, enabling Indian reactions.
• This was enabled by the belief among the British and their army that they were unbeatable.

Immediate Cause of the Revolt

• The introduction of new Enfield rifles.
• Cartridges had pig and cow fat that had to be bitten off to use.
• This outraged both Hindu and Muslim troops.
• Mangal Pandey disobeyed the order to use the cartridges.
• He was arrested and killed, inspiring others.

Delhi Soldier Events

• In May 1857, revolting soldiers reached Delhi and gained local support.
• Delhi was taken from British control.
• Bahadur Shah was reinstated as Emperor.
• The British attacked months later, retaking the city and killing Bahadur Shah Zafar's sons.
• Bahadur Shah Zafar was sent to prison in Myanmar, where he died.

Centers of the Revolution

• Delhi: under Bahadur Shah Zafar, repressed by John Nicholson.
• Lucknow: under Begum Hazrat Mahal, repressed by Henry Lawrence.
• Kanpur: under Nana Sahib, repressed by Colin Campbell.
• Jhansi and Gwalior: under Lakshmibai and Tantia Tope, repressed by Rose.
• Bihar: under Babu Kunwar Singh, repressed by William Taylor.

Causes of Failures

• The uprising was limited to a small army
• There was no effective leadership
• There were limited resources available for this revolt.
• The middle classes did not take part.

Consequences of the First War of Indian Independence

• In the aftermath of the revolt of India many new changes in the regime and how it functioned.
• Company rule was removed and the responsibility was given to the government.
• With that also becoming a personal presence in the British Crown.
• Queen then made a proclamation on the 1 of November 1858.
• States non-intervention of social and religious customs.
• The point of hire are based on education and abilities.
• Proposed that there was a general pardoning for all Indians except for those who killed Brits.

Mughal Dynasty Ends

• The Mughal Empire ended in 1857.
• The policy of Annexation was also ended.

Policies

• Big changes including implementing the divide and rule strategy.
• Very high racial antagonism, with many places reserved for white people only.
• Indian foreign policy changed to protect the Indian Empire and benefit and increase colonial power.
• Economic exploitation intensified to the point where Indians paid for wars and were forced to participate in them.
• Changes in the army included troop distribution favoring British soldiers, with twice the amount of local in comparison, and disallowing certain political publications to be distributed in the army.