THE FIRST WAR OF INDIAN INDEPENEDENCE

  KARNATAKA STATE SYLLABUS (DSERT)

10th standard Social science (S.St) English medium notes

History

Chapter 6

THE FIRST WAR OF INDIAN INDEPENEDENCE

British brought policies of Subsidairy Alliance and Doctrine of Lapse. People were also upset with the administration of the British.

            Indian Historians called it ‘First Indian Freedom Struggle’. But, the English historians termed it as ‘The Sepoy Mutiny’.

 

Reasons for the First Indian Freedom Struggles :

1)   Political Reasons :

·         Doctrine of Lapse implemented.

·         Satara, Jaipur, Jhansi, Udaipur and many other stated came under doctrine of lapse.

·         Dalhousie abolished the kingships of Tanjavore and Carnatic Nawabs and dethroned Mughal kings and many other kings.

2)   Economic Reasons :

·         Industrial revolution in England.

·         England became a workshop of industries.

·         The Indian handicrafts became financially pathetic.

·         British imposed heavy customs on Indian goods entering the market of England.

·         Zamindari System – the farmers were exploited by Zamindars.

·         British formed Inam Commissions and Inam lands were also withdrawn.

3)   Administrative Reasons :

·         The British brought in many civil and criminal laws into effect.

·         A lot of partially among Indian and British people.

·         English became the language of the court.

·         People did not like the new laws.

4)   Military Reasons :

·         Indian soldiers did not have the status, salary and promotion.

The pressure put on Indian soldiers for overseas work

5)   Beginning of the Mutiny and its spread : (Immediate cause :

·         The Indian soldiers believed that they can drive away the British if all of them become united.

·         British introduced ‘Royal Enfield’ gun.

·         A rumour spread that the bullets of these guns were smeared in the fat of pig and cow.

·         Barackpur military soldiers refused to do it and revolted against the British officers.

·         A soldier named Mangal Pandey shot dead a British officer (Major Hudson)

 

The spread of the Mutiny :

·         Meerut was a major British military base.

·         The soldiers released the imprisoned soldiers, this became the seed for the Indian freedom movement.

·         Soldiers reached Delhi from Meerut.

·         The soldiers declared the Mughal King Bhadur Shah II as the emperor of India.

·         Nana Saheb of Kanpur rose in revolt. Tatya Tope was his assistant (Chief of army)

·         In Jhansi, Rani Lakshmi Bai fought till died.

·         The protest spread to Lucknow.

 

Reasons for the failure of the Mutiny :

·         It did not cover every part of India.

·         It concentrated on the issues of the rights of Kings and Queens rather than liberation of the country.

·         It was not a planned mutiny.

·         The disunity among the Indian soldiers.

·         Lacked direction and leadership.

·         Soldiers didn’t had organizing skills.

·         freedom fighters lacked a definite aim.

Many of the Indian kings extended their loyalties to the British and did not support the freedom fighters

·         The sepoys lost faith and support from people for plundering and other crimes.

 

Results of the Mutiny :

          East India company came to an end, and the governance of British government started. The Queen of Britain passed a declaration in 1858.

1.      The agreements entered by the company with the local Kings were accepted.

2.      Non pursuance of regional expansion.

3.      Providing a stable government of Indians.

4.      Equality before the law.

5.      Non-interference of the government in religious issues of Indians and practicing religious tolerance.

 

      The British realized that without love and affection of Indians, ruling India would be a difficult proposition.

      They decided to involve the Indians in the process of legislation and implemented ‘Policy of Association’.