Revolt

THE GREAT INDIAN REVOLT OF 1857

SUBMITTED BYWafa NoufalAnisha JawahirSukaina AwatifSabitha AshrafVIII.C

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THE GREAT INDIAN REVOLT

INTRODUCTION

THE REVOLT OF 1857 WAS A LARGE SCALE REBELLION AGAINST BRITISH RULE THAT SWEPT ACROSS NORTHERN AND CENTRAL INDIA IN A SERIES OF VIOLENT UPRISINGS.IF IT HAD SUCCEEDED IT WOULD HAVE MARKED THE END OF COLONIAL RULE IN INDIA.BUT AFTER BATTLING THE REBELS FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS,THE BRITISH MANAGED TO CRUSH THE REVOLT.THEY WENT ON TO RULE INDIA FOR ANOTHER 90 YEARS.BUT THE REVOLT OF 1857 HAD SUCH FAR REACHING CONSEQUENCES THAT SOME HISTORIANS REFER TO IT AS THE FIRST WAR OF INDIAN INDEPENDENCE.


CAUSES FOR THE REVOLT OF 1857

ECONOMIC CAUSES 1. The zamindari system was introduced by the british

and the pleasants were exploited by them.They were often tortured or jailed when the peasants failed to pay the taxes.

2. The landlords also were insecured and lands were confiscated when the taxes did not match the assigned goals.

3. The interest of India were not the first priority of the government.The british came in India for economic profit,which was the main priority.No measures were taken to improve the conditions of the peasants and the artisians.

4. The annexation of Indian states was followed by large scale unemployment and economic distress as a large number of court officials and other lost their means of earning.All poets,artisians etc working under these rulers lost their jobs.


POLITICAL CAUSES

1. Lord Dalhousie caused widespread resentment among the Indian rulers and their subjects by aggressively expanding his state and annexing native Indian states.

2. He annexed the states of satara nagpur and jhansi by applying the doctrine of lapse.

3. Nana Sahib was denied a pension after his father’s death.He was the son of Peshwa Baji Rao II.

4. Bahadur Shah’s successors was denied the right to live at the Red Fort.

5. He annexed Awadh,accusing the government of maladministration and shocking the nawab who was a faithfully and the people of India.

6. The british did not obey the treaties sometimes and they were broken according to the need of the british and the nawabs at that time could not trust any treaty at all.


SOCIAL CAUSES1. Social reforms by the britishers were hated by the Indians

who took it as a mark of british interference in the political affairs of India.

2. The efforts of missionaries to convert people to cristianity also angered the Indians.

3. The introduction of western education undetermined the position of the traditional teachers and teaching methods in India.

4. The british judicial system introduced the principal of equality which determined the presence of caste system in India.

5. The british looked down upon Indians and followed a policy of racial discrimination and separated themselves as SUPERIORS from the Indian society.Lord Wellesley described Indians as vulgar,ignorant,rude,familiar and stupid.


MILITARY CAUSES

1. The sepoys had helped the british to establish their empire in India but were not awarded or promoted at all.On the contrary,they were treated with contempt.

2. There was a discrimination between the Indian and the british soldiers.

3. An Indian soldier got much less salary as compared to a Western soldier.

4. The senior british officers did not pay any respect to the Indian soldiers at all.

5. The Indian soldiers were much more in number as compared to the british soldiers.In 1856 the number of Indian troops was up to 5 times as compared to the british troops.This also encouraged the sepoys to rise against the british.


SPREAD OF REVOLT The revolt spread to other parts of

northern and central India.The main centres were Kanpur, Arrah, Lucknow, Bareilly, Jhansi, Gwalior and Barrackpore. Revolts also took place in parts of Bengal, Rajasthan, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.

The revolt in Kanpur was led by Nana Sahib,the adopted son of the last peshwa,Baji Rao II.With the help of of Nana Sahib’s able commanders Tantia Tope and Azimullah,he attacked the british.In Bihar , Kunwar Singh led the revolt.In Jhansi,the revolt was led by Rani Lakshmibai.


REASONS FOR THE FAILURE OF THE REVOLT

Lack of unity and cohension. The rising was not widespread. No common aims and ideals. Lack of discipline, resources,

and organisations.


RESULTS OF THE REVOLTa) The English East India

Company’s rule came to an end.b) The administration of India was

taken over by the british crown.c) The board of directors and the

board of control were abolished.d) The Indian army was

thoroughly reorganised.e) The policy of ruthless

conquests in India was given up.

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