History Chapter 7 : The Great Uprising of 1857 PDF

# The Great Uprising of 1857 ## Causes of the Revolt ### Political Causes 1. **Doctrine of Lapse:** Lord Dalhousie introduced this policy which allowed the British to annex Indian states without a male heir. This affected rulers like Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi and Nana Saheb of Kanpur, creating w...

# The Great Uprising of 1857 ## Causes of the Revolt ### Political Causes 1. **Doctrine of Lapse:** Lord Dalhousie introduced this policy which allowed the British to annex Indian states without a male heir. This affected rulers like Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi and Nana Saheb of Kanpur, creating widespread resentment. 2. **Subsidiary alliance:** Indian rulers were forced to accept British troops and pay for their maintenance, leading to a loss of sovereignty and autonomy. 3. **Annexation of Awadh:** The Annexation of Awadh in 1856 without valid reasons hurt the pride of the local people and caused resentment among both the nobility and the common people. ### Economic Causes 1. **Heavy Taxation:** The British introduced oppressive tax policies, including the permanent settlement system. Peasants had to pay high taxes, often leading to the loss of their lands. 2. **Destruction of handicraft industries:** The influx of British-made goods into India led to the collapse of traditional handicrafts and cottage industries, causing unemployment among artisans. 3. **Unemployment and poverty:** Many zamindars, soldiers, and craftsmen were impoverished due to British economic policies, increasing discontent against the colonial rulers. ### Social and Religious Causes 1. **Western Education and Reforms:** British attempts to introduce western education and social reforms, such as the abolition of practices like sati, were seen as a direct interference in traditional Indian customs and religious beliefs. 2. **Missionary Activities:** The activities of Christian missionaries, who were perceived as promoting conversions, angered both Hindus and Muslims, leading to widespread fear of religious conversion. 3. **Racial Discrimination:** The British openly treated Indians as inferior. This racial arrogance alienated large sections of society, particularly the educated Indian elites. ### Military Causes 1. **Discrimination against Indian soldiers:** Indian sepoys in the British army were paid less than their British counterparts and faced discrimination in terms of promotion and privileges. 2. **Service abroad:** The British forced Indian soldiers to serve overseas, violating their religious beliefs that prohibited crossing the sea. This created resentment, especially among the Hindu sepoys. 3. **Greased Cartridges:** The introduction of cartridges greased with cow and pig fat was offensive to both Hindus and Muslims. The refusal to use these cartridges sparked widespread protests. ## The immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857. The immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857 was the introduction of grease-greased cartridges coated with cow and pig fat, which offended both Hindu and Muslim soldiers, leading to widespread mutiny after the sepoys at Meerut refused to use them and were imprisoned. ## Leadership and spread of rebellion. 1. **Bahadur Shah Zafar (Delhi):** The sepoys from Meerut marched to Delhi and declared Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, as their symbolic leader. This marked the start of the rebellion in Delhi. 2. **Nana Saheb (Kanpur):** In Kanpur, Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the deposed Maratha Peshwa, led the revolt. He sought to avenge the injustice done to his family by the British. 3. **Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi):** Rani Lakshmibai joined the rebellion after the annexation of her state by the British. She became a symbol of resistance and fought valiantly in the defense of Jhansi. ## Main Events of the Revolt ### Capture of Delhi 1. The sepoys from Meerut marched to Delhi, captured the city, and declared Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader, reviving hopes of restoring Mughal rule. 2. British forces retook Delhi in September 1857 after a prolonged siege, capturing Bahadur Shah Zafar and ending Mughal rule. ### Centers of revolt 1. **Lucknow:** Led by Begum Hazrat Mahal, who organized the resistance after Awadh's annexation by the British. 2. **Kanpur:** Led by Nana Saheb, who declared himself Peshwa and fought fiercely against the British before Kanpur was recaptured. 3. **Jhansi:** Rani Lakshmibai led the revolt after the British annexed her kingdom. She fought bravely and died in battle, becoming a symbol of defiance. 4. **Bihar:** Kunwar Singh, despite his old age, led the Revolt and successfully recaptured Arrah, using guerrilla tactics to fight the British. ## Suppression of the Revolt 1. The British deployed full force power to crush the revolt, with the struggle lasting over a year. 2. Thousands were killed or hanged, including Bahadur Shah Zafar's sons. Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled to Rangoon, where he died. ## Shifting loyalties 1. The British offered rewards to those loyal to them, allowing landowners to retain traditional rights. 2. Many sepoys, landlords, and rebels who refused to support the British were hanged or punished. ## Causes of the failure of the revolt 1. The revolt was widespread but confined to certain areas like the Doab, Sind, Rajputana and parts of Punjab. Southern states stayed aloof. 2. Rebels lacked an effective leader. Leaders like Bahadur Shah Zafar, Rani Lakshmibai, and Nana Saheb were confined to their areas. 3. Rebels lacked modern weapons, while the British had rifles and explosives. ## Nature of the Revolt - Historians have differing opinions. Some saw it as a mutiny by sepoys, while others considered it a Nationalist struggle. - It symbolized unity among Hindus and Muslims against British rule. - Though, some historians didn't see Nationalism against the British rule. ## Consequences of the Revolt - The revolt ended the company's rule and established direct British crown rule in India. - Changes were made in administration. Indian soldiers were recruited more carefully, especially from groups like orphans and Sikhs. - Policies were introduced to protect landlords and zamindars, giving them security over their land rights ## Q&A from the book 1. Tribes like the Santhals and Whils took part in revolt against British rule. 2. Awadh was annexed under the pretext of misgovernance and failure to meet British standards of rule. (The British were not happy with the way Awadh was being ruled, so they took over the land.) 3. British economic policies, exploitation, and competition from British manufactured goods led to the collapse of traditional industries. (The British brought in cheap goods and made it hard for Indian artisans to compete). 4. The revolt began with the mutiny of Indian sepoys in Meerut, who refused to use greased cartridges due to religious reasons. 5. The revolt ended the East India company's rule, and India came under direct rule of the British Crown. (The British took over complete control of India). 6. Railways and communications were developed to strengthen British control, facilitate troop movement, and enhance administrative efficiency. 7. Some ruling classes, such as Sindhia, Holkar, and the rulers of Jodhpur, supported the British in suppressing the revolt to secure their positions (These Indian rulers thought it was better to be on the British side.) 8. The Doctrine of Lapse, Annexation of Indian states (like Awadh), and the disrespect shown to local rulers and their traditions were key political causes of resentment against British rule. 9. The Britishers imposed heavy taxes, destroyed local industries through unfair trade practices, and exported Indian resources and wealth back to Britain, leading to economic hardship for many Indians. 10. Policies like the abolition of sati, introduction of the widow remarriage act, and the use of greased cartridges led to a belief that the British were disrespecting Indian sacred and religious practices. 11. The sepoys were angered by the use of greased cartridges, the requirement to serve overseas, and poor pay, which was against their religious beliefs. 12. The immediate trigger was the refusal of sepoys to use greased cartridges, starting with Mangal Pandey in Barrackpore, which culminated in the revolt at Meerut in May 1857. 13. The revolt lacked coordination, leadership, and modern weapons. Many areas did not participate, and some Indian rulers even supported the British, which ultimately led to the failure of the revolt. 14. The British promised the landowners that their estates would not be annexed, securing their loyalty and preventing them from supporting the rebels. 15. Though the revolt failed, it united Indians across different regions and communities against British rule. It was the first large-scale effort to overthrow British power, and later nationalists considered it a precursor to the Indian independence movement. 16. The East India Company's rule ended, and India came under direct British crown rule. The British also reorganized the army, improved railways and communications, and introduced policies to protect the rights of landlords and zamindars.