History

Consequences of the first war independence

1. End of the company’s rule
Government of India directly by the crown
Government of India act of 1858 had following provisions:
a) It transferred the power to govern India from the East India company to the British crown
b) The Company’s Board of Control and Court of directors were abolished.
c) A member of the British Cabinet was appointed by Secretary of state for India and responsible for
all matters related to governance of India.
d) He was given a council to advise him called the Indian council
e) Governance was carried on, as before by the Governor-General who gave the title of victory, that
is, a personal representative of the crown.
f) Lord Canning was appointed as the first viceroy under this act
g) Appointments to the Civil Service were to be made by open competition under rules made by the
Secretary of state.

2. Queen Victoria’s Proclamation

The Queen’s Proclamation incorporating the transfer of governance from East India Company to the
British Crown was made public at Allahabad, on November 1, 1858 by Lord Canning.

The following proclamation promised that the government of India would

a) Follow a policy of non-intervention in social and religious maters of Indians;

b) Treat all subjects-Indians and Europeans-as equal education and ability on the basis of all
appointments;
c) Grant a general pardon to all those who had taken part in the war not to those who were found
guilty of murder of British subjects;
d) Do its best to advance the industries in India; and
e) Promote works of public utility in India so as to ensure the material as well as the moral progress
of the people.

3. End of Mughals and Peshwas

The death of Bahadur Shah II who was deported to Yangon, the Mughal dynasty came to an end.

The last Peshwas Nana Saheb had taken an active part in the uprising and had fled to Nepal after the
failure of the Uprising.
So the office of the Peshwa came to an end.

Thus ended two of the most formidable foes of the British the Marathas and the Mughals.

4. Relations with princely States

The policy of Annexation and the Doctrine of lapse were abandoned helped them in suppressing the
uprising.

In 1876, Queen Victoria assumed the title of the Empress of India.

After 1858, The British continued their policy of divide and rule by turning the princes against the people,
province against province, caste against caste and above all, Hindus against Muslims.

They alienated the people from their rulers by giving them special protection and concessions.

The Government cleverly used the attractions of government service to create a split along religious lines
among the educated Indians.

The British also encouraged hatred and ill feeling among the

So that they could never challenge the British Empire in India .

5. Racial Antagonism
The British believed in their racial superiority and they thought that a social distance was to be
maintained to preserve their authority over the Indians.

Railway compartments, parks, hotels, clubs were reserved for Europeans only were visible manifestations
of this racialism.

6. Foreign Policy
Two aims of the British:

a. Protection of its Indian Empire. b. expansion of British economic and commercial interests in
Asia and Africa
b. The cost implementation of these policies was borne by the Indians.

7. Increased Racial Bitterness

The British dubbed all Indians as unworthy of trust and subjected them to insults and humiliation.

8. Religious changes
The British rulers declared emphatically their policy of non-interference in the religious affairs and
traditions of the Indians.

9. Changes in the Army

The Indian army reorganized after 1858.

To prevent the reoccurrence of another uprising in the following points.

a) The strength of European troops in Indian was increased.

b) The ratio of European to Indian troops is fixed at 12 Bengal army, and 25 Madras and Bombay
armies.
c) This ratio was maintained till the First World War.
d) European troops were kept in key geographical and military positions.
e) The advanced arms and ammunition were never given to Indians in order to prevent the m from
rising up again against the law. With the exception of a few mountain units, all Indian artillery
troops were dissolved.
f) Discrimination on the basis of caste, region and religion was practiced in the recruitment to the
army.
g) Methods like the introduction of caste and community in most armies were taken to discourage
nationalism.

10. Economic Exploitation

The uprising of 1858 ended the era of territorial expansion.

Ushered in the era of economic exploitation in the following manner.

a) India was turned into a typical colonial economy, exporting raw materials and importing finished
goods.
b) The salary and allowances of the Secretary of state and members of the India council, the civil
servants and military officers were a large drain on the country’s resources.
c) Peasants were impoverished under the British rule.
d) The Indigo peasants of Bihar revolted on a large scale in 1866-68.
e) Rural artisan industries such as handicrafts, spinning and weaving were collapsed.

11. Rise of Nationalism

The Uprising of 1857 was the first struggle of the Indian people for freedom from British imperialism.

The sacrifices made by Rani Laxmi Bai, Nana Saheb and Mangal Pandey served as a source of inspiration
for the future freedom fighters.
 12. Widening of the Gulf Between Hindus and
Muslims
During the first war of Independence, both Hindus and Muslims showed a great enthusiasm and zeal to fight against
the alien government.

After the Uprising, the Gulf between the two communities widened.

The consequence of the British policy of ‘Diving and Rule’ by which they sowed the seed of dissension

between two communities.