1857 Indian Rebellion Notes PDF

***[HISTORY (XII)-THEME-11]*** ***[REBELS AND THE RAJ]*** ***[(LESSON NOTES)]*** ***[\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]*** * The 1857 Revolt is an important part of the Indian history that began as a sepoy mutiny...

***[HISTORY (XII)-THEME-11]*** ***[REBELS AND THE RAJ]*** ***[(LESSON NOTES)]*** ***[\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]*** * The 1857 Revolt is an important part of the Indian history that began as a sepoy mutiny of the British East India Company. Though it was first started in the town of Meerut but later it was erupted into all the other mutinies. The major aggressions were happened to the present-day northern Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Delhi region.* * Revolt 1857 started with a Mutiny occurred in Meerut by refusal of new rifle. They suspected that new rifle is filled with fat of Pig and Cow.* * On **10 May 1857**, the sepoys of **Meerut** cantonment killed the British officer and seized the bell of arms and plundered the treasury. They attacked government buildings-the jail, court, post office, telegraph office, bungalows, treasury etc.* https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ah1G7mhtBVc/X3capOC1ixI/AAAAAAAAhps/AVcPLnaeubQOJY9NVcwF4MWVJ55X\_cRuQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h472/leders.png   * Then they marched to Delhi and appealed to the Mughal Emperor **Bahdur Shah II** to accept the leadership of the revolt. Finding no other option, he accepted the demand of the sepoys. Thus the revolt secured a kind of legitimacy because it could be carried on in the name of the Mughal emperor.* * After that it spread cantonment to cantonment and then in different cities.* * **[TIME LINE]*** **1801 -Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Wellesley in Awadh** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **1856 -Nawab Wajid Ali Shah deposed; Awadh annexed** **1856-57 -Summary revenue settlements introduced in Awadh by the British** **1857** **10 May -Mutiny starts in Meerut** **11-12 May -Delhi garrisons revolt; Bahadur Shah accepts nominal leadership** **20-27 May -Sepoys mutiny in Aligarh, Etawah, Mainpuri, Etah** **30 May- Rising in Lucknow** **May-June -Mutiny turns into a general revolt of the people** **30 June -British suffer defeat in the battle of Chinhat** **25 Sept British forces under Havelock and Outram enter the Residency in Lucknow** **July -Shah Mal killed in battle** **June 1858-Rani Jhansi killed in battle** * In every cantonment sepoy followed a similar pattern as-* * Similar pattern of the revolt in different cantonment show that there was communication between the sepoys' lines of various cantonments.  * * For example, the 7^th^ Awadh Irregular Cavalry had refused to accept the new cartridge. The matter they informed to the 48^th^ Native Infantry.* * Sepoys moved from one station to another. People talked about the rebellion.* * It is very difficult to provide answer to such question. However, some events provide hints to how the mutinies were organized.* * For example, when Awadh Military Police refused to kill **Captain Hearsey,** it was decided that the matter would be settled by a panchayat composed of Indian officers selected from each regiment.* * Charles Ball who wrote about revolt pointed out that the panchayats were assembled during night in the Kanpur sepoy lines and decisions were taken collectively.* * The sepoys lived in lines and shared a common lifestyle and many of them came from the same caste, so, it is not difficult to say that they have planned the revolt.* * The rebels needed leadership and organization to fight against the British and to legitimate their rebelled. That's why the soldiers of Meerut appealed to old Mughal emperor to accept the leadership of revolt. At first, he rejected this demand. But when the sepoys defied the Mughal court etiquette in the Red Fort, he agreed to be the nominal leader of the rebellion. It gave a great impact to this rebel.* * In Kanpur, **Nana Sahib, the successor of Peshwa Baji Rao II** became the leader of the revolt.* * In Jhansi, Rani lakshmi Bai assumed the leadership of the uprising.* *  In Arrah in Bihar, Kunwarsingh, a local zamindar became leader under popular pressure.* * In lucknow people declare **Birjis Qadr, **son of the earlier Awadh Wajid Ali Shah, as their leader and start struggle against Britishers under wife of Nawab Begam Hazarat Mahal.* * When the rebel spread in these cities many local leaders were also emerged from many areas and urged the peasants, zamindars and tribals to revolt. Many ordinary persons also join the rebel. So, the mutiny change into a popular rebel.* +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **SR NO** | **CENTER** | **LEADER** | **REMARK** | +=================+=================+=================+=================+ | 1 | DELHI | Bahadur Shah | Leader of | | | | Zafar | revolt | | | | | 1857, **His | | | | | wife Zeenat | | | | | Mahal** and **g | | | | | eneral | | | | | Bakht | | | | | khan** also | | | | | participated | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 2 | Kanpur | Nana Saheb, | Adopted son of | | | | | Peshaw Bazi Roa | | | | | II | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 3 | JHANSI | Rani Laxmi Bai | Britishers | | | | | refused to give | | | | | the permission | | | | | to adopt a son | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 4 | GWALIAR | Tantaya Tope | A general of | | | | | Nana saheab | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 5 | Lucknow | Birjis Qadr, | Mother of | | | | son Of Nwab | Brijis Qadr | | | | wazid Ali Shah, | ,Begum Hazrat | | | | | Mahal fought on | | | | | behalf of his | | | | | son | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 6 | Aara,Jadishpur( | Kunwar singh | 80-year-old | | | bihar) | | zamindar fought | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 7 | Ramgarh, Mandla | Rani | She led an army | | | region of | | of 4000 | | | Madhya Pradesh, | Avantibai Lodhi | soldiers | | | | | against | | | | | britishers. | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 8. | Faizabad | Ahmadullah | A maulvi who | | | | | raised a huge | | | | Shah | force of his | | | | | supporters. | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 9 | Bareilly | Bakht Khan | He was a | | | | | soldier who led | | | |   | a movement. | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 10 | Barout (UP) | Shah Mal | Orgained the | | | | | villagers | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | 11 | Singhbhum(Odish | Gonoo | Rebel leader of | | | a) | | Kol tribes | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ \* * * There was a rumour that the new cartridges were filled with the fat of cows and pigs which would pollute their religion of Hindu and Muslims.* * It was also the rumours that the British trying to destroy the religion of Indians by mixing the bone dust of cows and pigs into the flour led people to avoid touching the flour.* * It was also said that chapattis were being distributed from village to village in North India which symbolised the preparation of rebel against Britishers.* * The prophecies about the British rule also spread that it come to an end on the centenary of the Battle of Plassey also reinforced the call for a revolt against the masters (23 June 1857).* * Introduction the western education, college, schools, university in large scale create doubt among that they destroy the Indian education system.* * Lord William Bentinck reform policy also feared the people. Bann on sati system in 1829 and to permit the widow remarriage make their doubt.* * The annex of many Indian kingdoms like Jhansi, Stara , Nagpur etc under the doctrine of policy of Lord Dalhausi and established their own rule and administration also made the people suspicious of British intentions.* * People started to think that all things which they respect or care are being destroyed and replaced by a more impersonal, alien and oppressive system.* * On the same time the activities of Christian missionaries also created doubt and discomfort.* * So once the rumours spread the people started to believe because these were associated with their fear.* * Subsidiary Alliance was a system introduced by **Lord Wellesley in 1798**.All the Indian rulers become the alloy of East India company who has signed on this alliance and have to follow same terms as-*    * Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was displaced and exiled to Calcutta. They accused that Nawab is not able to governed.* * There was widespread emotional upheaval at his dethronement. Contemporary writers observed that "The life was gone out of the body, and the body of this town had been left lifeless\..."Folk song mourned that "the honourable English came and took the country".* * He was so admired by his people that his subjects followed him all the way to Kanpur singing songs of lament.* * The displacement of Nawab created the great impact on the livelihood of the people as musicians, dancers, poets, artisans, cooks, retainers, administrative officials and so on -- lost their livelihood.* * After the displacement of Nawab British raj was established in Awadh. It created the great impact on the livelihood of the people such as musicians, dancers, poets, artisans, cooks, retainers, administrative officials, and so on. We will see effects on Taluqdars, peasants, sepoys.* * **[DISPLACEMNET OF TALUQDARS]*** * The British did not tolerate the power of the taluqdars. So, they used different strategy to destroyed the power of talauqdars-* * In pre-British times peasant and talauqdars were ties with loyalty and patronage. Though they were oppressor* * But the displacement of Talauqdars break the social order and peasants were greatly affected as* * **But after 1840s, this relationship underwent a drastic change, and **Trust was replaced by suspicion.* * **[SEPOYS AND PEASANTS]*** * Most of the evidences and sources of rebellion are produced and circulated by the Britishers in which they represented the rebels as a bunch of ungrateful and barbaric people.* * We have very little sources of rebels prospective as most of them were illiterate.* * Though, many Proclamations and ishtahars (notifications) were issued by the rebels which focused on their desires and wishes.* * We also come to know about their desires by established new rules and authority on the conquered areas.* * The vision of unity was clearly visible in the proclamations and  ishtahars (notifications) which were issued by rebel leaders show. For example, the Azamgarh Proclamation of 25 August 1857.* https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-20xXYCiaTUs/X3gR8IKvmmI/AAAAAAAAhqA/hYq0UFValtAj7Q1PK3o-DRA5LEMyozuMACLcBGAsYHQ/w602-h640/REVOLT%2BCENTERS.png   * The rebels tried to get the support of all sections of the society irrespective of their caste and creed by presenting the forefront memories of the pre-British Hindu Muslim past.* * The proclamation issued by Bahadur Shah appealed to the people to join the fight under the standards of both Muhammad and Mahavir.* * The British attempt to create a wedge between them but the rebels tried to materialize their vision of unity.* * Rebels declared that the British policies dispossessed landlords, peasants, weavers, artisans, Indian sepoys. So, we should reject everything associated with British rule.* * The proclamations expressed the widespread fear that the they destroyed their religion by converting them into Christianity* * They condemned the British for the annexations they had carried out and the treaties they had broken.* * They wanted to restore the previous life where livelihood to be secure.* * We also come know about their ambitions by seeing the administration setup of rebels in the conquered areas.* * They set up parallel administration in Delhi, Lucknow and Kanpur. Though it collapsed later. But it provides their vision.* * Appointments were made to various posts. Arrangements were made for the collection of land revenue and the payments of soldiers. Along with plans were made to fight battles against the British.* * This shows that they wanted to restore the pre-British world of the 18^th^ century and to establish the culture of the court.* * The rebel started from a mutiny on 10 may 1857 but soon it spread in all over north India and many cities were conquered by the rebels. These areas were brought under control only in March 1858 after protracted fighting. To supress the revolt they have passed many new rules -* * To know about the rebel we have to focus on all the sources available. We know that we very few records on the rebels' point of view. But we have much sources form the side of Britishers as letters, diaries, autobiographies and official documents, images, histories. Etc. These tell us about the fears and anxieties of officials and their perception of the rebels.* * Pictorial images as paintings, pencil drawings, etchings, posters, cartoons, bazaar prints etc. produced by the British and Indians became the important source to know about the revolt.* * British produced the variety of images to provoke a range of different emotions and reactions the British heroes who saved the English and repressed the rebels.* * These images emphasise that the time of trouble had ended and they had re-established their power.*    * For example, **Relief of Lucknow **painted by **Thomas Jones Barker **is an example. It represents the siege of Lucknow by mutineers and celebrating the British victories by their heroes-Campbell, Outram and Havelock.* * The gestures of the heroes, triumphant horses, damaged Residency, and dead and injured on the ground emphasised the British power.* * As we know that Newspaper reports create the public opinion and shaped the feelings and attitudes towards the events.* * When the news of violence against women and children spread in Britain people demanding the revenge. The artiest also started to shaped these sentiments through their visual representations.* * One famous painting the **Memorium **painted by **Joseph Noel Paton **depicts English women and children huddled in a circle, looking helpless and innocent, seemingly waiting for the inevitable -- dishonour, violence and death.* * These images stir up the spectator's imagination, and seeks to provoke anger and fury. It represents the rebels as violent and brutish.* * In some image women were shown as heroic figure. For example in **Ms.wheeler's painting**- she is defending herself against the Sepoys at Cawnpore\'. It also shown as a battle to save the honour of Christianity as the Bible is laying on the ground.* * Punch (Magazine) Cartoons published in Britain (1857)-"**Justice**",* * Visual representations and news about the revolt increase the waves of anger against the rebellions and Now it was seen that for the justice and British honour the rebels to be supressed ruthlessly.* https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-geEiT6pToyk/X3gSUgbLABI/AAAAAAAAhqI/QeNFDfPQ98M3NKapVhmMMg5CSNq2-DXMACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h406/VEGELANCE%2BAND%2BTERROR.png   * So, innumerable pictures and cartoons were published in newspapers that sanctioned brutal repression and violent reprisal.* * "**The British Lion's Vengeance on the Bengal Tiger**"  and Justice punch were the famous images.* * The vengeance and retribution were expressed in the brutal way in which the rebels were executed.* * They were blown from guns, or hanged from the gallows. Images of these executions were widely circulated through popular journals.* * Images of executions of Indian soldiers in Peshawar also showed their bravery.* * Many image and cartoons were published in that time who show the leniency towards the rebels. They become the mocked in the British press.* * In the image **"The clemency of Canning**." Canning was shown as looming father figure, with his protective hand over the head of a sepoy who still holds an unsheathed sword in one hand and a dagger in the other, both dripping with blood. As he declared that a gesture of leniency and a show of mercy would help in winning back the loyalty of the sepoys,* * The national movement drew its inspiration from the events of 1857* *  It was the first war of Independence in which people of all the sections of society came together to fight the foreign rule.* * Leaders of the revolt were presented as heroic figures leading the country into battle of freedom.* * The revolt roused the people to come together and fight against the oppressive British rule in India.*    * The poets and the writers also gave their full support with their narratives and poems.* * Many books have been written to highlight the contribution of many patriots like Rani Jhansi,Tantia Tope and many others. Specially **Subhadra Kumari Chauhan** and her poem : "**khoob lari mardani who to Jhansi wali rani thi".***