THE FIRST WAR OF INDIAN INDEPENDENCE (1857) || class 10 social science chapter 17 || Explanation

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THE FIRST WAR OF INDIAN INDEPENDENCE (1857)

We learn about the following in this chapter: • Causes for the First War of Independence • Immediate causes for the revolt • Spread of the revolt and its nature • Failure of the revolt and its effects

With the objective of expanding their rule in India, the British had brought into force the Doctrine of Subsidiary Alliance and Doctrine of Lapse. Many provinces came into the control of the British because of these rules. As a result, Indians were upset. They were dissatisfied with the British administration too. This dissatisfaction surfaced as a major revolt in 1857. While some Indians called this ‘The First War of Independence’, British historians called it as ‘The Sepoy Mutiny’.

Do you know this: Doctrine of Lapse : Doctrine of Lapse: This policy was established by Lord Dalhousie during British rule. According to this policy, an Indian king could not transfer his kingdom to his adopted children in the absence of natural heirs. Thus, his kingdom came naturally under British rule.

Causes for the First War of Independence: Political causes: Many kingdoms lost their rights due to the promulgation of Doctrine of Lapse brought about by the British. Satara, Jaipur, Jhansi, Udaipur and other kingdoms came under British control. Dalhousie cancelled the princely titles of the Nawabs of Tanjore and Carnatic kingdoms. The Moghul sultans, the Nawab of Oudh and other kings were stripped of their kingly status. Consequently, lakhs of soldiers who were dependent on these kings, became unemployed. This became a strong cause for the protest of 1857 against the British. Economic causes: Due to the industrial revolution in England, Indian handicrafts and cottage industries suffered heavily. England, instead of being a trading country, became a hub of industries. The Indian craftsmen became unemployed. Primarily, the textile and wool industries became sick and people lost their jobs. The cottage industries too suffered a death blow. The British imposed a heavy tax on sale of Indian goods in England. Because of the zamindari system, the landlords, acting as commission agents between the Government and the farmers, exploited the farmers. The right given to the taluks to collect tax was withdrawn. An ‘Inam Commission’ was appointed and all the gifted lands (‘Inam lands’) were taken back. Due to this, the farmers felt insulted and experienced many financial problems. This too led to the revolt of farmers against the government. Administrative causes: The British brought into force new civil and criminal laws. These were applicable only to Indians. English became the language of the courts. Most of the time the British judges favoured the British. The new rules were not understood by the common people. Military causes: The condition of the Indian soldiers in the British army was pathetic. The status, salary and opportunities for promotion that British soldiers enjoyed were not given to Indian soldiers. The religious sentiments of the Indian soldiers were disturbed when they were forced to cross the oceans to serve on a foreign land. Eruption of the Revolt and its spread: Most of the Indian soldiers in the British army believed that if they fought together, they could drive away the British from India. At that time, the soldiers were being given new rifles called ‘Royal Enfield’. A rumour spread among the soldiers that the cartridges used in these rifles were greased with the fat of cow and pigs. While cows were sacred to the Hindus, pigs were blasphemous for Muslims. This incident became the immediate cause for the revolt. The rumour that spread in the army troops at Barackpur led to severe dissatisfaction. When the British officers ordered the Indian soldiers to pull the safety catch with the help of their teeth, the soldiers rejected the command and revolted against their superiors. At this juncture, an Indian soldier named Mangal Pandey killed a British official. Subsequently, he was arrested, tried and hanged.