The Uprising of 1857

Welcome,

Grade-8 F

Subject- Social Studies

Pre-Assessment

THINK BIG

Why do people rebel against the government or rulers?

Lesson-Uprising of 1857

Keywords

Buffer state- A neutral state lying between two rivals or potentially hostile states.

Mutiny- Forcible or active resistance to lawful authority.

Revolt- A violent protest against authority.

Garrison- A military post

3- I can examine the failure of the Revolt of 1857 and its aftermath effects on India.

2- I can illustrate its causes and effects and locate its centers.

1-I can identify the causes of the revolt of 1857.

​Learning Targets

By the end of the lesson, we will be able to-

Explain the causes and effects of the revolt of 1857.

​Learning Objectives

Causes of the Revolt of 1857.

Political Causes

1. Exploitative land revenue policies: The landlords believed that the British

had deprived them of their privileges and powers. The landlords of

Travancore,Tirunelveliand Aligarh organized local revolt but were

suppressed by the British.

2. Subsidiary alliance and doctrine of lapse: The British annexed many territories of the Indian rulers. They also stopped pensions and titles of many. They also dislodged many rulers like Nana Saheb and Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi on the grounds of misgovernance. They deposed NawabWajid Ali Shah of Awadh.

Social & Religious causes

1. Reforms introduced by the British: Governor General Lord William Bentick declared Sati System as an illegal practice in 1829. Widow remarriage and western education for the women.

2. Policy of racial discrimination: Indians were given subordinate positions in all the services. Indians could not travel in first class coaches in the train.

3. Spread of christaininty: The British supported Christain missionaries in India and even allowed them to have property. They were actively involoved in converting the people (Act, 1850) and allowed them to keep their ancetral property. They taxed the land belonging to temples and mosques. They promoted English language and made it an official language. As a result, many Hindus and Muslims lost their jobs.

Economic Causes:

1. Economic policies of the British were not in favour of Indians: The land revenue policies of the British made the life of poor peasants tough. They trapped in the clutches of moneylenders and lost their lands.

The new class took place of old Zamindars. These outsiders were not concerned about the peasantry.

Machine made goods from Britain were cheaper due to which Indian artisans and craftsmen suffered.

The British goods were not taxed in India, while Indian goods were heavily taxed in Britain. As a result, Indian industry of handicrafts suffered a lot.

Military causes

1. The sepoys helped the Britishers to establish their  empire in India. But instead of receiving awards or  promotions they were humiliated by the British.

2. There  was a discrimination between the Indian and the  British soldiers. The highest pay given to an Indian sepoy (subedar) was less than the minimum payment of a  European recruit.

3. The act of 1856 made it compulsory  for new recruit to serve overseas.

Immediate causes

1. The cartridges of the new Enfield rifle had a greased  paper cover which had to be bitten off before the  cartridge was loaded into the rifle.

2. It was said that the  greased paper was made up of beef and pig fat.

3. Both  the Hindus and the Muslims refused to use them as  cow is sacred to Hindus and the pig is detestable to the  Muslim community.

Check your understanding

Multiple Choice

Landlords of Travancore, Tirunelveli and Aligarh revolted before

• 1827

• 1857

• 1727

Multiple Choice

Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was deposed on the grounds of

• Misgovernance

• War crimes

• Disloyality

Multiple Choice

Which among the following is the social cause of revolt of 1857?

• Abolition of Sati system and Widow remarriage

• Low salary to the Indian Sepoys as compared to British soldiers

• Subsidiary Alliance

Multiple Choice

Subsidiary alliance and doctrine of lapse led to

• Annexation of the territories of the Indian rulers.

• Discontinuation of the pension and titles of Indian rulers

• Both A and B

Multiple Choice

The immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857 was?

• Use of greased paper of animal fat on the catridges to fill in rifles.

• Low salary to the sepoys

• Spread of western education in India

Poll

Rate your understanding

• I did not understand anything. I need help.

• I understood little bit and still learning.

• I almost understood the lesson.

• I understood everything and can explain to others.

Day-2

Grade -8F

Recap Test

Multiple Choice

Who was the NAwab of Awadh who was dethroned by the British?

• Nawab Wajid Ali Shah

• Nawab Sirajud Daulla

• Nawab Ahmed Ali Shah

Multiple Choice

Which among the following reforms were brought by the British in India?

• Abolition of Sati System

• Promotion of widow remarriage

• Both A and B

Multiple Choice

Why did Indian Sepoys refuse to use Enfield Rifles?

• They did not receive cartridges for the rifles.

• The cartridges were covered with greased paper having animal fat of cow and pig.

• Only British sepoys were allowed to use cartridges.

Multiple Choice

Who was the Indian soldier who attacked British superiors in Barrackpore in 1857 and led to revolt among sepoys?

• Bipin Pandey

• Sumit Pandey

• Mangal Pandey

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was NOT an economic cause of the revolt of 1857?

• The machine made goods from Britain were cheaper due to which Indian artisans and craftsmen suffered.

• British goods were costlier than the Indian goods

• British goods were not taxed in India but Indian goods were taxed in Britain

3-I can illustrate with the help of the map the outbreak of revolt chronologically

2-I can explain the outbreak of revolt.

1-I can identify the places where the revolt broke out.

​Learning Targets

By the end of the lesson, we all will be able to-

Explain the outbreak of the revolt of 1857.

​Learning Objectives

Outbreak of revolt

Outbreak of revolt at Meerut

29th March 1857- Mangal Pandey was executed for killing his superiors.

9th May 1857- 85 soldiers from 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry were sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment because they refused to touch cartridges.

10th May 1857- Sepoys at Meerut marched to the jail and massacred the British officers, released the imprisoned officers and set fire to British property.

March to Delhi

11 May 1857-sepoys from Meerat marched towards the Red Fort, Delhi and joined the local sepoys.

They killed the European officers stationed there, and proclaimed the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zaffar as the Emperor of Hindustan.

Thus, Delhi became the center of the revolt. Soon other areas also started rebellion against the British.

Spread of Revolt

Uprising soon spread to other parts of India. Masses started believing that the British rule has come to an end.

Norther India witnesses a huge uprising while Bengal, Punjab, Deccan and the South witnessed sporadic incidents.

Main centres and leaders of the revolt

Kanpur- Nana Saheb: He was the son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. He proclaimed himself Peshwa and ousted the British. He was supported by Tantya Tope and Azimullah. However, the British captured the Kanpur again. They captured and executed Azimullah. Nana Saheb fled to Nepal.

Awadh (Lucknow): Begum Hazrat Mahal: She was the wife of Wajid Ali Shah, Nawab of Awadh. Lucknow was a point of revolt for 8 months. Maulvi Ahmadullah support Hazrat Mahal in the revolt. Birjis Qadr, son of Nawab was declared new Nawab. However, they failed in the revolt.

Bareilly (Rohilkhand): Khan Bahadur Khan- On 31st May 1857, sepoys revolted and British officers fled for their lives. Khan Bahadur Khan was the leader of the uprising.

Jhansi: Rani Lakshmi Bai- The British annexed her territory under the Doctrine of Lapse. The British captured the fort and killed 5000 people.

Rani Lakshmi Bai escaped to Kalpi to join Tantya Tope. They together attacked Gwalior. Scindia, the ruler of Gwalior fled to Agra while the forces joined the rebel forces. On 17th June 1858, she died while fighting with the Britih forces. Tantya Tope was caught and hanged.

Arrah: Kunwar Singh- He led the revolt in Arrah. The rebel groups were organized by him in various parts of Uttar Pradesh and Central India.

Indigo factories were targeted and destroyed by the rebels.

He also extended his support to rebels in Kanpur and Lucknow.

In April, 1858, he died of war wounds.

The revolt spread to Ranchi and Sambhalpur.

Suppression of the Revolt

1. Governor General Lord Canning mobilized all his forces and placed his troops under the command of his best commanders- Hugh Rose, Neill, Campbell, Havelock, Outram and John Lawerence.

2. They massacred people and burned down villages.

3. Fierce battles took place in Ridge, Chandni Chowk, Kashmiri Gate and Red Fort.

4. Bahdur Shah Zaffar and his family to shelter in Humanyun's tomb. He was captured and exiled him to Rangoon. On November 7th, 1862, he died in Rangoon.

5. Nana Saheb and HAzrat Mahal fled to Nepal. Tantya Tope was captured and killed.

Day-3

Recap Test

Begum Hazrat Mahal

Khan Bahadur Khan

Rani Lakshmi Bai

Kunwar Singh

Nana Saheb

​Column B

Jhansi

Kanpur

Awadh

Bareilly

Arrah

​Column A

Match the column

Rani LAkshmi Bai

Nana Saheb

Begum Hazarat Mahal

Khan Bahadur Khan

Kunwar Singh

​Column B

Jhansi

Kanpur

Awadh

Bareilly

Arrah

​Column A

PA: Match the column

3-I can illustrate with the help of the map the outbreak of revolt chronologically

2-I can explain the outbreak of revolt.

1-I can identify the places where the revolt broke out.

​Learning Targets

By the end of the lesson, we all will be able to-

Discuss the reason of failure of revolt.

​Learning Objectives

Effects of revolt