THE WAR OF

INDEPENDENCE 1857
How did it shape the course of nationalism amongst the Muslims India and the eventual
struggle for independence.
 Backstory of the War
 In 1857, the Soldiers of the army of East India Company were issued with rifles whose bullets
were greased with Pig And Cow fat. The bullets had to be bitten before loading. Cow was
sacred to Hindus and Pig was Haram to Muslims, they started protesting against the use of
these rifles and the bullets. The rifle was called Lee Enfield. The British considered it as an
insult because the rifle was their best and newest of the time and they had invested a lot of
money in making it.
 Start of the War
 The British forces got control over the protesting party of Indian soldiers, and jailed them.
 Their fellow Indian soldiers broke prison and got them freed. They declared War against the
British and all this started up from Meerut.
 The struggle in Meerut had been Led by the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. The
war spread to many other parts of the subcontinent.
 We have already learnt about the other struggles in the book, so lets talk about the other
struggles in the War of Independence. One of the biggest fights were fought at Nagpur and this
struggle had no leader on the Indians side.
Scenes of the War
 Scenes of the War

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Scenes of the War
 Causalities of the War
 Around 9000 British soldiers were killed, and over a Million on the Indians side were killed.
The War of Independence 1857 is considered one of the greatest wars in the history of the
subcontinent.
Weapons used in the War
 How did this War plant nationalism in the Muslims of the
Subcontinent?
 This sense of Muslim separatism was further exacerbated by the British response to the war. The British were ruthless in
their suppression of the rebellion, and they targeted Muslims disproportionately. Many Muslims were killed, imprisoned,
or exiled. This led to a deep sense of resentment and bitterness among Indian Muslims. The 1857 War also had a
significant impact on the development of Indian nationalism. The war showed that the Indian people were capable of
united action against British rule. This inspired a new generation of Indian nationalists, who began to believe that India
could achieve independence. Despite these challenges, the 1857 War was a major turning point in the history of Indian
nationalism. It showed that the Indian people were capable of united action against British rule, and it inspired a new
generation of Indian nationalists.
 The war also had a profound impact on the course of Indian history, and its legacy continues to be felt today.
Muhammad Ahmed 8D