By- Prisha Mayur Bauskar

Seat No.- 1003 Sem 2

 Introduction

Importance

Causes of Revolt of 1857

Index
Political Cause

Economic Cause

Military Cause

Immediate Cause
 Introduction

 The Revolt of 1857-1858 that covers the

major chunk of north India which stood
against the British raj has conventionally
been regarded as the new chapter of
history in modern India.

 It's found its roots in Meerut where it all

chapter by the name of “sepoy mutiny’’ by
the local soldiers working for East India
Company. It is also known as the “India’s
first war of independence’’. British rule
foundation in India was threatened for the
year first time in India.
 The revolt was started with sepoy
working in the British army and
soon into local uprisings and
rebellions which involved civilians,
peasantry, artisans and the whole
community of India.

 Religious differences can be cited as

the prime cause as Indian troops
were not ready to use the greased
cartridges which nullify their
religious values as well as forced
conversions by Christian
missionaries all around the India. At
the end of the revolt what started as
the war of religion turned into a
“NATIONAL REVOLT.”
 Importance
 The message of Revolt of 1857, or First War of
Independence, is of great importance even today in
its two aspects.

 It reminds us of great sacrifices made in the

struggle for freedom, which is today under
growing threat from the forces of globalization.

 It also reminds us of the importance of popular

unity, which is today under growing attack from
forces of communalism.

 The continuing relevance of this message Is what

made the left to give so much importance to
understanding the great national revolt.
Causes of Revolt Act 1857
1. Political Causes
The political cause of the revolt may be
traced to the British policy of expansion
through the Doctrine of Lapse and direct
annexation.

A large number of Indian rulers and chiefs

were dislodged, thus arousing fear in the
minds of other ruling families who
apprehended a similar fate.

Rani Lakshmi Bai’s adopted son was not

permitted to sit on the throne of Jhansi. Satara
, Nagpur and Jhansi were annexed under the
doctrine of Lapse. Jaitpur, Sambalpur and
Udaipur were also annexed.
 Other rulers feared that the annexation
of their states was only matter of time.
The refusal to continue the pension of
Nana Saheb, the son of Baji Rao II,
created hostility among the ruling class.

 Moreover, the sentiments of the people

were hurt when it was declared that the
descendants of the titular Mughal
Emperor, Bahadur Shah II would not be
allowed to live in the Red Fort.

 The annexation of Awadh by Lord

Dalhousie on the pretext of
maladministration left thousands of
officials jobless and 75000 sepoy were
affected. This measures converted
Awadh, a loyal state, into a hotbed of
discontent and intrigue.
2. Socio-Religious Cause
A large section of the population was alarmed
by the rapid spread of Western civilization in
India.

An Act in 1856 changed the Hindu Law of

inheritance enabling a Hindu who had
converted into other religion to inherit his
ancestral properties.

Besides, the missionaries were allowed to

make conversions to Christianity all over
India.

The people were convinced that the

Government was planning to convert Indians
to Christianity.
 The abolition of practices like sati
(1829) and female infanticide, and
the legislation legalizing widow
remarriage(1856), were threats to the
established western education.

 Even the introduction of the

railways and telegraph was viewed
with suspicion.
3. Economic Cause
In rural areas, peasants and zamindars
resented the heavy taxes on land and the
stringent methods of revenue collection
followed by the company.

Many among these groups were unable to

meet the heavy revenue demands and
repay their loans to money lenders,
eventually losing the lands that they had
held for generations.

Large numbers of sepoys were drawn from

the peasantry and had family ties in
villages, so the grievances of the peasants
also affected them.
The economic exploitation by the British and the
complete destruction of the traditional economic
structure caused widespread resentment among
all section of the people.

After Industrial Revolution in England, there was

an influx of British manufactured goods into
India which ruined industries, particularly textile
industry in India.

Indian handicraft industries had to compete with

cheap machine- made goods from Britain. India
was transformed into suppliers of raw materials
and a consumer of goods manufactured in
Britain.

All those people who previously depended in

royal patronage for their livelihoods were
rendered unemployed.
 4. Military Cause

 Indian sepoys formed more than 87% of British

troops in India. They were considered inferior to
British soldiers. An Indian sepoy was paid less than
a European sepoy of the same rank. Besides, an
Indian sepoy could not rise to a rank higher than
that of a Subedar.

 The extension of the British Emperor in India had

adversely affected the service condition of the
Indian sepoys. They were required to serve in areas
far away from their homes.

 In 1856 Lord Canning issued the General Service

Enlistment Act which required that the sepoys must
be ready to serve even thin British land across the
World.
 The ‘Bengal Army’ was recruited from
high caste communities in Awadh. They
were not prepared to cross the ocean
(kalapani) which was forbidden as per
Hindu religious beliefs.

 They developed the suspicion that the

Government was trying to convert
Indians to Christianity. After the
annexation of Awadh the Nawab’s army
was disbanded.

 These soldiers lost their means of

livelihood. They became bitter enemies
of the British.
5. Immediate Cause
In the year 1856 British authorities replaced
Brown Bess. Old fashioned musket by new
Enfield Rifle.

The loading process of the rifle involved

bringing of the cartridge to the mouth and
biting off the top greased paper.

This greased cartridge had the fat of cow and

pig. The defiled the Hindu and the Muslim
religion. So, the Indian Soldiers refused to
use it.
 On February 26th, 1857, the 19th
native infantry at berhampur in
Bengal refused to use this cartridge.
Mangal Pandey , a sepoy led on
attack on 34th native infantry at
Barrackpore on March 29th1857. He
was executed and became a martyr.
THANK YOU !