Edurev - Int95211causes The Revolt of 1857
Edurev - Int95211causes The Revolt of 1857
Table of contents
Introduction
Simmering discontent
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Introduction
All the previous documents that you have read is to gather knowledge about
the background events. In this EduRev document you will reading about the
rst war of independence which considered as the starting point of the unity
between people across the country. You will read about what are the causes
that led to this war and what is outcome of this and how company rule ended
and crown rule started in our country.
Simmering discontent
In 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, the British laid the rst step towards
getting power in northern India, And in 1857 took place the major "Revolt"
which was a product of the character and policies of colonial rule after
1757, and after which noteworthy changes took place in the British policy of
ruling over India.
The cumulative effect of British expansionist policies,
economic exploitation, and administrative innovations over the years had
adversely affected the positions of all—rulers of Indian states, sepoys,
zamindars, peasants, traders, artisans, pundits, maulvis, etc. The simmering
discontent burst in the form of a violent storm in 1857 which shook the
British empire in India to its very foundations.
However, the period between 1757 and 1857 was not all peaceful and
trouble-free, it saw a series of sporadic popular outbursts in the form of
religiopolitical violence, tribal movements, peasant uprisings, and
agrarian riots, and civil rebellions. Enhanced revenue demands—even in
famine years - caused anger.
Political Causes
The East India Company’s greedy policy of aggrandizement accompanied
by broken pledges and promises resulted in contempt for the Company and
loss of political prestige, besides causing suspicion in the minds of almost all
the ruling princes in India, through policies as of 'Effective Control’,
'Subsidiary Alliance' and 'Doctrine of Lapse'.
The collapse of rulers—the erstwhile aristocracy—also adversely affected
those sections of the Indian society.
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Administrative Causes
Rampant corruption in the Company’s administration, especially among the
police, petty of cials, and lower law courts, was a major cause of discontent.
Socio-Religious Causes
Racial overtones and a superiority complex characterized the British
administrative attitude towards the native Indian population.
The government’s decision to tax mosque and temple lands and making laws
such as the Religious Disabilities Act, 1856.
Try yourself: Which battle is considered as the battle which gave initial power
to the company?
a. Battle of Haldighati
b. Battle of Wandiwash
c. Battle of Plassey
d. Battle of Buxar
View Solution
Beginning and Spread of the Revolt
The Spark
The reports about the mixing of bone dust in atta ( our) and the
introduction of the En eld ri e enhanced the sepoy's growing disaffection
with the government.
The greased wrapping paper of the cartridge of the new ri e had to be
bitten off before loading and the grease was reportedly made of beef and
pig fat.
This spontaneous raising of the last Mughal king to the leadership of the
country was a recognition of the fact that the long reign of the
Mughal dynasty had become the traditional symbol of India’s political unity.
The broad outlook of the rebels was not in uenced by religious identity but
by the perception of the British as the common enemy.
The entire Bengal Army soon rose in a revolt which spread quickly. Awadh,
Rohilkhand, the Doab, Bundelkhand, central India, large parts of Bihar, and
East Punjab shook off British authority.
Civilians Join
The revolt of the sepoys was accompanied by a rebellion of the civil
population, particularly in the north-western provinces and Awadh. The
peasants and petty zamindars took advantage of the revolt to destroy the
moneylender's account books and debt records.
Storm Centres and Leaders of the Revolt
At Delhi, the real command lay with a court of soldiers headed by General
Bakht Khan Sir Hugh Wheeler, commanding the station, surrendered on
June 27, 1857, and was killed on the same day.
Nana Saheb expelled the English from Kanpur, proclaimed himself the
Peshwa, acknowledged Bahadur Shah as the Emperor of India, and declared
himself to be his governor.
Nana Saheb
Begum Hazrat Mahal took over the reins at Lucknow where the rebellion
broke out on June 4, 1857, and popular sympathy was overwhelmingly in
favor of the deposed nawab. In March 1858, the city was nally recovered by
the British.
Tantia Tope
Try yourself: Which of the following is the not the immediate cause for the
revolt?
a. Introduction of En eld ri e
View Solution
Tantia Tope was captured while asleep in April 1859 and put to death. The
Rani of Jhansi had died on the battle eld earlier in June 1858. Jhansi was
recaptured by Sir Hugh Rose.
Try yourself: Which of the following personalities did not ght in 1857 revolt?
a. Mir Qasim
c. Maulvi Ahmadullah
d. Bhakt Khan
View Solution
R.P. Dutt also saw the signi cance of the Revolt of the peasantry against
foreign domination It had seeds of nationalism and anti-imperialism but the
concept of common nationality and nationhood was not inherent to the
revolt of 1857.
S.B. Chaudhuri observes, the revolt was "the rst combined attempt of many
classes of people to challenge a foreign power. This is a real if remote,
approach to the freedom movement of India of a later age".
Consequences
The revolt of 1857 marks a turning point in the history of India. It led to far-
reaching changes in the system of administration and the policies of the
British government.
The British Parliament, on August 2, 1858, passed an Act for the Better
Government of India. The Act declared Queen Victoria as the sovereign of
British India and provided for the appointment of a Secretary of State for
India
The assumption of the Government of India by the sovereign of Great Britain
was announced by Lord Canning at a durbar at Allahabad in the 'Queen’s
Proclamation’ issued on November 1, 1858.
The proclamation also promised equal and impartial protection under the
law to all Indians, besides equal opportunities in government services
irrespective of race or creed. It was also promised that old Indian rights,
customs, and practices would be given due regard while framing and
administering the law.
The Army Amalgamation Scheme, 1861 moved the Company’s European
troops to the services of the Crown.
'Conservative brand of liberalism’, as it was called by Thomas Metcalf—had
the solid support of the conservative and aristocratic classes of England who
espoused the complete non-interference in the traditional structure of
Indian society. The Indian economy was fully exploited without fear.
In accordance with the Queen’s Proclamation of 1858, the Indian Civil
Service Act of 1861 was passed, which was to give an impression that under
the Queen all were equal, irrespective of race or creed.
Racial hatred and suspicion between the Indians and English was probably
the worst legacy of the revolt.
The complete structure of the Indian government was remodeled and based
on the notion of a master race justifying the philosophy of the
‘Whiteman’s burden’.
Try yourself: Which of the following is incorrect with respect to failure of the
1857 revolt?
View Solution
Signi cance of the Revolt
For the British, the Revolt of 1857 proved useful in that it showed up the
glaring shortcomings in the Company’s administration and its army, which
they recti ed promptly. These defects would never have been revealed to
the world if the Revolt had not happened.
For the Indians, the 1857 Revolt had a major in uence on the course of the
struggle for freedom. It brought out in the open grievances of people and the
sepoys, which were seen to be genuine.
However, it was also obvious that the primitive arms that the Indians
possessed were no match for the advanced weapons of the British.
Furthermore, the senseless atrocities committed by both sides shocked the
Indian intellectuals who were increasingly convinced that violence was to be
eschewed in any struggle for freedom.
The educated middle class, which was a growing section, did not believe in
violence and preferred an orderly approach. But the Revolt of 1857 did
establish local traditions of resistance to British rule which were to be of
help in the course of the national struggle for freedom.
This event that you have gone through is considered as the rst step towards
the independence of our country. In the next EduRev document you will read
about the social changes and reforms that happened across the country and
famous personalities involved in it.
To practice questions of the topic "The Revolt of 1857", you just read, attempt
the test given below:
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Ans. The major causes of the Revolt of 1857 included the discontent among sepoys due
to various factors such as the introduction of new cartridges greased with animal fat,
racial discrimination, and lack of career advancement opportunities.
5. What impact did the Revolt of 1857 have on India's struggle for
independence?
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