[Modern India] The Great Revolt of 1857

The Great Revolt of 1857 

• Many revolts happened even before 1857, but except few most of the revolts didn't led to a massive one.
• By the year 1857 most of the Indian states came under the control of British.
• Some historians and scholars called this as the First War of Indian Independence.

Causes 

• Political Causes
• Economic Causes
• Social Causes
• Military Causes

Political Causes

1. Dalhousie's Doctrine of Lapse: The succession right to adopted sons of Indian rulers was took away by the British.
• Refused pension to Peshwa Baji Rao II

Economic Causes

1. Land Revenue Policies
2. Destruction of Indian Industries
3. High Tariff on Indian Goods

Social Causes

1. Abolition of Sati: William Bentick (1829)
2. Widow remarriage Act: Dalhousie (1856)
3. Religious Disabilities Act (1850)

Military Causes

1. The Post Office Act, 1854
2. The General Service Enlistment Act, 1856
3. Enfield Rifle

Course of the Great Revolt of 1857

• The issue of Enfield rifle which is believed to use greased catridges made of fat from Pig and Cow led to the immediate cause of the revolt.
• On 29th March 1857, Mangal pandey (Barackpur) a sepoy refused to use enfield refile and killed his officer and hence hanged to death.
• In May 1857, 85 Sepoys (Meerut) of the 3rd Cavalry were sentenced to imprisonment for refusing to use enfield rifles.
• On 10th May 1857, the great revolt broke out and marched towards Delhi.
• They proclaimed Bahadur shah II as the Emperor of India.