When People Rebel: 1857 and After
Welcome, dear students, to HSLC Guru. In this chapter of Class 8 Social Science (History) prescribed by the Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB), we will study one of the most decisive turning points in modern Indian history — the Revolt of 1857. Often called the First War of Indian Independence, the uprising that began with sepoys at Barrackpore and Meerut soon spread across north and central India, drawing in peasants, artisans, zamindars, and dispossessed rulers. Through this lesson, you will trace the deep political, economic, social, religious and military causes of the rebellion, identify its great leaders, understand why it ultimately failed, and learn how its suppression transformed the way India was governed under the British Crown after 1858.
Chapter Summary
By the middle of the nineteenth century, the British East India Company had become the supreme political power in India, but its policies had created widespread resentment among almost every section of Indian society. Politically, Lord Dalhousie’s Doctrine of Lapse annexed states such as Satara, Jhansi, Nagpur and Sambalpur whenever a ruler died without a natural heir, ignoring the long-respected Indian custom of adoption. The annexation of Awadh in 1856 on the false charge of misgovernment shocked the people of the region and angered thousands of sepoys whose families lived there. The withdrawal of pensions and titles from leaders like Nana Saheb (the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II) and the planned removal of the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar’s family from the Red Fort further inflamed political opinion.
Economically, the Company’s heavy land-revenue demands, the destruction of indigenous handicrafts by cheap British factory goods, and the oppressive systems of indigo and other commercial cultivation reduced peasants and artisans to misery. Zamindars and taluqdars lost their lands when they could not pay revenue on time. Socially and religiously, the British abolition of sati in 1829, the legalisation of widow remarriage in 1856 and the active work of Christian missionaries — together with English education and laws permitting converts to inherit ancestral property — convinced many Indians that their religion and traditional way of life were under attack. The introduction of the railway, the telegraph and Western dress was viewed with deep suspicion.
The immediate military spark was the new Enfield rifle, whose greased cartridges were rumoured to be coated with the fat of cows and pigs — offensive to both Hindu and Muslim soldiers, who had to bite them open. On 29 March 1857, sepoy Mangal Pandey attacked his officers at Barrackpore and was hanged on 8 April. On 10 May 1857, the sepoys at Meerut rose in open mutiny, marched overnight to Delhi, and proclaimed the aged Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar as the symbolic leader of Hindustan. The revolt then spread rapidly to Kanpur under Nana Saheb and his commander Tantia Tope, to Lucknow under Begum Hazrat Mahal, to Jhansi under Rani Lakshmibai, and to Bihar under the aged zamindar Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur.
The British, however, recovered quickly with reinforcements from Britain and from areas that remained loyal. Delhi was recaptured in September 1857, Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried and exiled to Rangoon, Rani Lakshmibai died fighting at Gwalior in June 1858, Tantia Tope was captured and hanged in 1859, and Kunwar Singh died of his wounds. By the middle of 1858 the revolt was crushed. Its consequences were far-reaching: the British Parliament passed the Government of India Act, 1858, ending the rule of the East India Company and transferring power directly to the British Crown. Queen Victoria’s Proclamation of 1 November 1858 promised religious tolerance, respect for Indian customs, equal opportunity in services and an end to further annexations. The Indian army was reorganised, the proportion of British soldiers was increased, and the policy towards princes and landlords was changed to gain their loyalty. Although the rebellion was defeated, it left behind a powerful tradition of resistance that inspired the later national movement.
Textbook Questions and Answers
A. Very Short Answer Type Questions (1 Mark)
Q1. When did Mangal Pandey revolt against the British?
Answer: Mangal Pandey revolted against the British on 29 March 1857 at the Barrackpore cantonment near Calcutta.
Q2. Who introduced the Doctrine of Lapse?
Answer: The Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by Lord Dalhousie, who served as Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856.
Q3. In which year was the kingdom of Awadh annexed by the British?
Answer: The kingdom of Awadh was annexed by the British in 1856 on the charge of misgovernment by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.
Q4. Where did the sepoys revolt on 10 May 1857?
Answer: The sepoys revolted at Meerut on 10 May 1857, and from there they marched to Delhi.
Q5. Who was proclaimed the leader of the rebels at Delhi?
Answer: Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, was proclaimed the symbolic leader of the rebels at Delhi.
Q6. Name the queen who led the revolt at Jhansi.
Answer: Rani Lakshmibai led the revolt at Jhansi and died fighting the British at Gwalior on 17 June 1858.
Q7. Who led the revolt at Kanpur?
Answer: The revolt at Kanpur was led by Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the last Peshwa Baji Rao II, assisted by his able commander Tantia Tope.
Q8. Who was Begum Hazrat Mahal?
Answer: Begum Hazrat Mahal was the wife of the deposed Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah; she led the rebellion at Lucknow and crowned her young son Birjis Qadr as the new Nawab.
Q9. Name the act that ended the rule of the East India Company in India.
Answer: The Government of India Act, 1858 ended the rule of the East India Company and transferred the administration of India to the British Crown.
Q10. Who was Kunwar Singh?
Answer: Kunwar Singh was an aged zamindar of Jagdishpur in Bihar who led the revolt of 1857 in his region with great courage despite being over eighty years old.
B. Short Answer Type Questions (2-3 Marks)
Q1. Explain the Doctrine of Lapse.
Answer: The Doctrine of Lapse was a policy introduced by Lord Dalhousie in 1848. According to this policy, if an Indian ruler died without leaving a natural-born male heir, his kingdom would not pass to an adopted son but would automatically “lapse” to the British East India Company. Using this doctrine, the British annexed Satara (1848), Jaitpur and Sambalpur (1849), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853) and Nagpur (1854). The policy was deeply resented because it ignored the Indian custom of adoption and was seen as a deliberate device to extend British territory.
Q2. Why did the annexation of Awadh in 1856 cause widespread anger?
Answer: Awadh was a rich and culturally important kingdom and a long-time ally of the Company. In 1856 Lord Dalhousie annexed it on the false charge that Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was misgoverning the state. The annexation hurt the pride of the people of Awadh, deprived taluqdars of their lands and revenues, and left thousands of court servants, artisans and musicians unemployed. A very large number of Bengal Army sepoys came from Awadh, and they felt personally insulted by the dethronement of their Nawab. This anger made Awadh one of the strongest centres of the 1857 revolt.
Q3. What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857?
Answer: The immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857 was the introduction of the new Enfield rifle in the Bengal Army. To load the rifle the sepoys had to bite open the cartridge, and a rumour spread that the cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and pigs. This was offensive to both Hindu and Muslim soldiers, as it threatened to pollute their religion. When sepoys at Meerut refused to use these cartridges, ninety of them were court-martialled on 9 May 1857 and given long imprisonment. The next day, on 10 May 1857, their comrades broke out in open revolt.
Q4. Why did the sepoys at Meerut march to Delhi?
Answer: The sepoys marched from Meerut to Delhi because Delhi was the historic capital of the Mughal emperors, and the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar still lived there in the Red Fort as a pensioner. By proclaiming him their emperor, the rebels hoped to give their movement a national and traditional symbol of authority that would unite Hindus and Muslims and rally the entire country against the British.
Q5. What were the main provisions of Queen Victoria’s Proclamation of 1858?
Answer: Queen Victoria’s Proclamation, issued on 1 November 1858 at Allahabad, declared the following major points: (i) all powers of the East India Company were transferred to the British Crown; (ii) the policy of annexation, including the Doctrine of Lapse, would be ended and the rights of Indian princes recognised; (iii) the religions and customs of the Indian people would be respected and there would be religious tolerance; (iv) all subjects, irrespective of race or creed, would be given equal opportunity in government service; and (v) a general pardon was offered to rebels who had not been guilty of murder of British subjects.
Q6. Who was Tantia Tope and what was his role in the revolt?
Answer: Tantia Tope, whose original name was Ramachandra Pandurang, was the trusted general and close friend of Nana Saheb. He led the rebel forces at Kanpur, fought brilliantly in the campaigns of central India, and joined Rani Lakshmibai in the seizure of Gwalior in 1858. After the rebellion was crushed he carried on a remarkable guerrilla campaign for nearly a year. He was finally betrayed, captured and hanged by the British on 18 April 1859, becoming one of the great heroes of 1857.
C. Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 Marks)
Q1. Discuss the political, economic, social-religious and military causes of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer: The Revolt of 1857 was the result of a long accumulation of grievances against Company rule.
(a) Political causes: Lord Dalhousie’s Doctrine of Lapse annexed Satara, Jhansi, Nagpur and other states, ignoring the right of adoption. The annexation of Awadh in 1856 on the charge of misgovernment shocked the entire region. The pension of Nana Saheb was stopped, and the British announced that Bahadur Shah Zafar’s successors would have to leave the Red Fort and lose the imperial title.
(b) Economic causes: Heavy land revenue demands ruined peasants and zamindars; the destruction of Indian handicrafts (especially textiles) by cheap British factory goods threw artisans out of work; oppressive plantation systems such as indigo cultivation in Bengal and Bihar caused great hardship; and the drain of wealth to England impoverished the country.
(c) Social and religious causes: The abolition of sati in 1829 and the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act of 1856, combined with the activities of Christian missionaries, English education and a new law that allowed Indian converts to inherit ancestral property, made many Indians fear that the British wished to destroy their religion and convert them to Christianity. The introduction of the railway and telegraph was also seen with suspicion.
(d) Military causes: Indian sepoys received much lower pay than British soldiers, were denied promotion above the rank of subedar, and resented being sent to serve overseas (the General Service Enlistment Act of 1856). The greased cartridges of the Enfield rifle, believed to be smeared with cow and pig fat, became the immediate spark that turned long-standing discontent into open rebellion.
Q2. Describe the outbreak and spread of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer: The Revolt of 1857 broke out first at Barrackpore, near Calcutta, on 29 March 1857, when a young sepoy named Mangal Pandey attacked his British officers and was later hanged on 8 April. The greater outbreak took place at Meerut on 10 May 1857. On the previous day, ninety sepoys had been court-martialled for refusing to use the greased cartridges. Their comrades freed them from prison, killed several British officers and rode through the night to Delhi. On 11 May 1857 they entered Delhi, killed many Europeans and proclaimed the aged Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar as the Emperor of Hindustan. From Delhi the revolt spread like wildfire. At Kanpur, Nana Saheb declared himself Peshwa and drove out the British with the help of Tantia Tope. At Lucknow, Begum Hazrat Mahal led a powerful resistance and crowned her son Birjis Qadr as the Nawab of Awadh. At Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai took up arms when the British refused to recognise her adopted son. In Bihar, the eighty-year-old Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur led his peasants against the Company. Within a few months almost the whole of north and central India — from Delhi to Patna and from Rohilkhand to the Narmada — was in flames.
Q3. Write short notes on the leaders of the Revolt of 1857: (a) Rani Lakshmibai (b) Nana Saheb (c) Begum Hazrat Mahal (d) Kunwar Singh.
Answer:
(a) Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi: The young queen of Jhansi rose in revolt when the British refused to accept her adopted son Damodar Rao as her heir under the Doctrine of Lapse. She organised her army of men and women, defended Jhansi bravely, later joined Tantia Tope, and seized the fort of Gwalior. Dressed as a soldier, she died fighting on horseback at Kotah-ki-Serai near Gwalior on 17 June 1858. Even her enemy, Sir Hugh Rose, called her “the bravest and best of the rebels.”
(b) Nana Saheb: The adopted son of the last Peshwa Baji Rao II, Nana Saheb was denied his father’s pension by the British. He took up the leadership of the revolt at Kanpur in June 1857, declared himself Peshwa, and ruled briefly before being defeated. After the suppression of the revolt he escaped to Nepal, and his fate remained a mystery.
(c) Begum Hazrat Mahal: The wife of the deposed Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh, she rallied the people of Lucknow against the British, crowned her young son Birjis Qadr as the Nawab and resisted the British siege of the Residency. After the fall of Lucknow she retreated to the Terai region and finally took refuge in Nepal, where she died in 1879.
(d) Kunwar Singh: The aged zamindar of Jagdishpur in Bihar, Kunwar Singh joined the revolt in his eightieth year. He fought a series of brilliant engagements in Bihar and Awadh, defeated the British in several battles and finally died of his wounds at Jagdishpur on 26 April 1858, making him one of the most respected leaders of the rebellion.
Q4. What were the consequences of the Revolt of 1857?
Answer: Although the Revolt of 1857 was finally suppressed by the middle of 1858, it brought about deep and lasting changes in the system of government in India.
(i) End of Company rule: By the Government of India Act, 1858, the rule of the East India Company was abolished and the administration of India was transferred to the British Crown. A new office of Secretary of State for India was created in London, and the Governor-General came to be known as the Viceroy.
(ii) End of the Mughal dynasty: Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried, exiled to Rangoon and died there in 1862, bringing the Mughal dynasty to a formal end.
(iii) Queen’s Proclamation, 1858: Queen Victoria promised religious tolerance, respect for Indian customs, an end to annexations and equal opportunities in service.
(iv) Reorganisation of the army: The proportion of British soldiers was greatly increased, the artillery was kept in British hands, and recruitment was based on the policy of “divide and rule” through the so-called “martial races.”
(v) New policy towards princes and landlords: The British abandoned the policy of annexation and sought the loyalty of Indian princes and landlords as their natural allies.
(vi) A spirit of nationalism: Although the revolt failed, it became a great source of inspiration for later national leaders and helped to plant the seeds of the Indian national movement.
Q5. Why did the Revolt of 1857 fail in spite of its widespread character?
Answer: Although the Revolt of 1857 was the largest uprising of nineteenth-century India, it failed for several important reasons. First, the revolt did not spread to all parts of India: south India, Punjab, Sind, Rajputana and most of Bengal remained largely peaceful, and the Sikh and Gurkha soldiers actively helped the British. Second, the rebels lacked unity of purpose and a common plan; each leader fought for his or her own region. Third, the rebels had no clear vision of a future government to replace British rule. Fourth, the British were superior in arms, discipline, transport (railways and telegraph), and could bring fresh troops from Britain after the end of the Crimean War. Fifth, many Indian princes, zamindars and educated middle-class Indians either stayed neutral or supported the British. For all these reasons, what began as a mighty storm was crushed within a little more than a year.
Additional Practice Questions
I. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. The Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by —
(a) Lord Wellesley (b) Lord Dalhousie (c) Lord Cornwallis (d) Lord Canning
Answer: (b) Lord Dalhousie.
Q2. Mangal Pandey was a sepoy of the —
(a) Madras Native Infantry (b) Bombay Native Infantry (c) 34th Bengal Native Infantry (d) Royal Gurkha Rifles
Answer: (c) 34th Bengal Native Infantry.
Q3. The revolt of 1857 began at Meerut on —
(a) 29 March 1857 (b) 10 May 1857 (c) 1 November 1858 (d) 8 April 1857
Answer: (b) 10 May 1857.
Q4. Awadh was annexed by the British in the year —
(a) 1853 (b) 1854 (c) 1856 (d) 1858
Answer: (c) 1856.
Q5. The leader of the revolt at Kanpur was —
(a) Bahadur Shah Zafar (b) Nana Saheb (c) Kunwar Singh (d) Bakht Khan
Answer: (b) Nana Saheb.
Q6. Rani Lakshmibai died fighting at —
(a) Jhansi (b) Kalpi (c) Gwalior (d) Kanpur
Answer: (c) Gwalior.
Q7. The leader of the revolt of 1857 in Bihar was —
(a) Tantia Tope (b) Kunwar Singh (c) Bakht Khan (d) Maulvi Ahmadullah
Answer: (b) Kunwar Singh.
Q8. The Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act was passed in —
(a) 1829 (b) 1853 (c) 1856 (d) 1858
Answer: (c) 1856.
Q9. Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled by the British to —
(a) Singapore (b) Rangoon (c) Andaman (d) London
Answer: (b) Rangoon.
Q10. Sati was abolished in India in the year —
(a) 1813 (b) 1829 (c) 1856 (d) 1858
Answer: (b) 1829.
II. Fill in the Blanks
Q1. The new rifle introduced in the Bengal Army in 1857 was the ________ rifle.
Answer: Enfield.
Q2. Mangal Pandey was hanged on ________ 1857.
Answer: 8 April.
Q3. The Government of India Act of ________ ended the rule of the East India Company.
Answer: 1858.
Q4. ________ was the Nawab of Awadh whose kingdom was annexed in 1856.
Answer: Wajid Ali Shah.
Q5. Queen Victoria’s Proclamation was issued at ________ on 1 November 1858.
Answer: Allahabad.
III. True or False
Q1. The revolt of 1857 began at Barrackpore with the action of Mangal Pandey.
Answer: True.
Q2. Bahadur Shah Zafar was the first Mughal emperor of India.
Answer: False. He was the last Mughal emperor of India.
Q3. Begum Hazrat Mahal led the revolt at Lucknow.
Answer: True.
Q4. The Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by Lord Curzon.
Answer: False. It was introduced by Lord Dalhousie.
Q5. After the revolt of 1857 the British Crown took over the direct administration of India.
Answer: True.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sepoy | An Indian soldier serving in the army of the British East India Company. |
| Doctrine of Lapse | A policy of Lord Dalhousie under which an Indian state without a natural male heir was annexed by the Company. |
| Subsidiary Alliance | An earlier system under which Indian rulers accepted Company troops and a British Resident, losing real independence. |
| Cantonment | A military area where soldiers and their families lived, separated from civilian towns. |
| Cartridge | The case containing gunpowder and a bullet for a firearm; the greased Enfield cartridge sparked the revolt. |
| Mutiny | The collective revolt of soldiers against their superior officers. |
| Annexation | The forcible taking over of a state or territory by another power. |
| Sati | The practice in which a widow burnt herself on her husband’s funeral pyre; abolished by Lord William Bentinck in 1829. |
| Proclamation | An official public announcement by a ruler or government. |
| Viceroy | The representative of the British Crown in India after 1858. |
| Taluqdar | A great landlord, especially in Awadh, who collected revenue for the state. |
| Begum | A title given to a Muslim queen or noble lady, as in Begum Hazrat Mahal. |
| Peshwa | The chief minister and effective ruler of the Maratha Empire; the title was held by Baji Rao II and claimed by Nana Saheb. |
This brings us to the end of Class 8 Social Science (History) Chapter 5 — When People Rebel: 1857 and After. Although the great uprising of 1857 was crushed, it shook the foundations of British rule, ended the East India Company, and lit the first sparks of the Indian freedom struggle that would burn brighter in the decades to come. Keep revising the dates, the leaders and the causes, and continue your learning journey with HSLC Guru.