Subject:Pak.

Studies/History

Resource Person:Tayyba Zahoor

Causes
Timeline:
 January 1857:British announce greased cartridges will
be used.
 March :Sepoys executed for refusing to use cartridges.
 May: Revolt Spreads.
 September : British regain Delhi and Lucknow.
Timeline:
 June 1858 :Lakshmibai Killed.
 August 1858: War officially declared over.
⚫Political causes
⚫Religious causes

⚫Social causes

⚫Military causes
⚫Economic causes
Political Causes
 Doctrine of Lapse by Lord Dalhousie 1852 (
the local Indian leaders saw their authority
decline)
 The disrespect that Lord Dalhousie made by
moving the royal family from Delhi
 In Civil service less jobs were given to Indians
adding fuel to the fire.
 English had replaced Persian as the official
language.
Religious Causes
 In 1857 the British introduced the new type of rifle
used cartridges that had to be ripped open with
teeth before loading
 There was a rumor that these cartridges were coated
with cow and Pig fat
 Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism were under threat from
the British rule as the Christian Missionaries used
to come to India and promote their religion
 Missionaries established schools and taught
Christianity
 The Hindu tradition of suttee was banned in which
a widow burnt herself alive with her husband.
 Pardah which was the religious custom of the Muslim
women was abolished by the British
Events of the War
Social Causes
 Indians were treated as a inferior race and near the
British lodgings it was often written “Indians and dogs
are not allowed.
 British and Indians weren’t socially equal.
 The British considered themselves as a superior race
and thought that it was their duty to take India away
from slavery and superstition and to make it a
civilization.
 Spread of British culture.
 For British there were special courts and for Indians
there were ordinary courts.
 The British wanted to enforce their own education
system
 The Indian took the English education, steam-engine
and the electric telegraph a threat to their culture
Economic Causes
 In sixteenth and seventeenth centuries EIC confined itself in
trade only.
 Industrial Revolution in England brought a great change in
England. Textile Industry developed in England.
 The Local Industries collapsed and Economic Condition of
Indians were miserable.

 Practice of imposing high taxes and

Inability of peasants and landowners to pay taxes.
 There was a great difference in the salaries of the
British and the Indians.
Military
 Most of the soldiers in army were Indians and were
usually low paid
 The officer class included British only.
 Regular rumors were there that the Muslims and Sikh
soldiers are forced to convert to Christianity.
 Overseas: General Services Enlistment Act 1856
imposed on Indian soldiers to serve wherever required
. This forced the soldiers for overseas travelling.
 Greased Cartridge issue:
FAILURE
 Reasons or Causes of the failure of
the War:

Lack of Unity:
 The absence of unity between the Hindus and
Muslims .Each leader fought in his own area like
Bahadur shah ll command in Delhi.Hazrat Mahal in
Lucknow,Nana sahib in Kanpur,Lakshmibai in
Gwalior and Jhansi.
Lack of support from other
provinces:
 Punjab
 Sindh and
 Rajputana were not affected by this Movement and
people of these areas remain faithful to the British.
Lack of good leadership:

 There was no common leader and concept of

nationalism was also absent among Indians. Most of
the local commander were interested in their personal
fame.
Lack of definite aim or
objective:

 Lack of definite aim or objective: As Muslim wanted to

regain their rule but Hindus wanted their own power.
British Strength and Planning:
 British had disciplined army as well as good and
experience generals like Lawrence, Edward and Neil.
Role of other States

 States of Kashmir, Hyderabad, Bhopal also helped the

British. On the other hand Sikhs were also supported
British.
Consequences of the War of
Independence:
 Supremacy of the British:
 The EIC came to an end:
 The title of governor general was change to viceroy:
 The Mughal empire came to an end:
 The British stopped the annexation
 Only the Muslims were blame for the revolt:
 Conflict between Hindu and Muslim started:
 Educational reforms were introduced:
 The Doctrine of lapse was abolished by British .
 The War of Independence a source of patriotic
inspiration for Indians.
Events of War of Independence
1857-1858
 May 1857 :In Meerut Indians soldiers refused to used
cartridge.85 soldiers were court-martialed and imprisoned
for 10 years.
 Sep 1857 :Soldiers reached at Delhi .
 Dec 1857 :At Kanpur revolt led by Nana Sahib.He
captured a number of British and he treated them with
kind Attitude but when he heared about Gen O Neil
cruelty towards Indians He killed all of them.After
defeating Nana Sahib Gen Havelock captured
Kanpur.Later on Nana Sahib and Tantya Topi regain the
control.
 March 1858: In Lucknow Wajid Ali Shah led the struggle.
 April 1858: In Jhansi Lakshmibai led the revolt..
Past paper Questions:
 The introduction of social reforms ,such as education,
by the British caused the war of Independence in
1857.Do you agree ? Give reasons for your answer. 14
marks
 Was the lack of Unity amongst the Indians the main
reason for the failure of the war of Independence 1857-
1858?Explain your answer. 14 marks
 Why did the Indians not achieve Independence in
1857? 7marks
 Was the greased Cartridge incident the most
important cause of the War of Independence
1857?Explain your answer.14 marks
 What happened in the battle of Kanpur? 4marks
 Why did War of Independence 1857 failed? 7 marks
 Explain the reasons for the failure of the war of
Independence 1857-1858? 7 marks
 Describe the events of the War of Independence 1857-
1858? 4marks
 The establishment of English as official language of
the sub-continent in 1834 was the main reason for the
War of Independence 1857 .Do you agree or disagree?
Give reason for your answer.14 marks