1. What was the General Service Enlistment Act?
According to traditional belief, it was considered a taboo for a Brahmin to cross the seas. The British Parliament passed the General Service Enlistment Act in 1856. As per this Act, Indian soldiers could be sent overseas on duty. The Act did not take into account the religious sentiments of the Indian soldiers. The Brahmin soldiers saw in this a danger to their caste which led to a feeling of resentment, against the Britishers among them.
2. Why did the 'Doctrine of Lapse' become a political cause for the revolt of 1857?
according to the 'Doctrine of Lapse', if a king died without an heir to the throne, his adopted son could not succeed him and it would be taken over by the British Government. This caused a lot of discontent amongst the Indian kings.
3. Why was the "War of 1857" hailed as the First War of Independence?
Revolt of 1857 was known as the first war of independence because it was for the first time that our entire nation irrespective of the caste, creed, race, and religion had come together and staged an armed protest against the Britishers to gain independence from their colonial rule.
4. Mention two political causes of the First War of Independence.
Two political causes of the First War of Independence were-
Policy of Expansion — The British policy of territorial expansion and gradual annexation of the native Indian states was one of the major grievances of the Indian rulers.
Doctrine of Lapse — According to this doctrine, if an Indian ruler died without a male heir his kingdom would come under the Company's territory in India.
5. Name two ways in which the British expanded their territorial power in India.
Two ways in which the British expanded their territorial power in India were
.Subsidiary alliance ,Doctrine of Lapse.
6. What was the Subsidiary Alliance? Name two Indian States brought under the British control using the Subsidiary Alliance.
Subsidiary alliance was an agreement between the British East India Company and the Indian Princely States by virtue of which these states lost their sovereignty to the British. Two Indian States brought under the British control using the Subsidiary Alliance are Awadh and Hyderabad.
7. Explain the term: Doctrine of Lapse. Name the two States annexed by the British using the Doctrine of Lapse.
According to Doctrine of Lapse, if an Indian ruler died without a male heir his kingdom would come under the Company's territory in India. The two States annexed by the British using the Doctrine of Lapse are Jhansi and Satara.
8. Who was Nana Sahib? What was his main grievance against the British?
Nana Saheb was the adopted son of Baji Rao II, the last Peshwa.
His main grievance against the British was that the British refused to grant Nana Saheb the pension they were paying to Baji Rao II. Nana Saheb was forced to live at Kanpur, far away from his family seat at Poona.
9. Which policy was used by Lord Dalhousie against Rani Laxmi Bai? Why did Rani Laxmi Bai become a bitter enemy of the British?
The policy of Doctrine of Lapse was used by Lord Dalhousie against Rani Laxmi Bai.
Rani Laxmi Bai became a bitter enemy of the British because when the ruler of Jhansi died in 1853, leaving no natural heir, the widowed Rani was pensioned and their adopted son, Anand Rao, was not recognised as a lawful successor to the throne.
10. State two announcements which adversely affected the Mughal dynasty in India.
Two announcements which adversely affected the Mughal dynasty in India are-
In 1849, Lord Dalhousie announced that successors of Bahadur Shah Zafar would not be permitted to use the Red Fort as their palace. They were required to shift to a place near the Qutub Minar.
In 1856, Lord Canning announced that after the death of Bahadur Shah, his successors would not be allowed to use the imperial titles with their names and would be known as mere princes.
11. Mention any two consequences of the annexation of Awadh.
Two consequences of the annexation of Awadh are-
People had to pay higher land revenue and additional taxes on food, houses and ferries.
The dissolution of the Nawab of Awadh's army and administration threw thousands of nobles, officials and soldiers out of jobs.
12. What was the General Service Enlistment Act?
According to traditional belief, it was considered a taboo for a Brahmin to cross the seas. The British Parliament passed the General Service Enlistment Act in 1856. As per this Act, Indian soldiers could be sent overseas on duty. The Act did not take into account the religious sentiments of the Indian soldiers. The Brahmin soldiers saw in this a danger to their caste which led to a feeling of resentment, against the Britishers among them.
13. State any two consequences of the disbanding of the armies of the annexed States bytheBritish.
Two consequences of the disbanding of the armies of the annexed States by the British are- The dissolution of the Nawab of Awadh's army and administration threw thousands of nobles, officials and soldiers out of jobs.
It also affected the soldier's financial position. They had to pay higher taxes on the land their families held in Awadh.
14. Give the meaning of Absentee Sovereignty. Why was it resented by the Indians?
Absentee Sovereignty of the British means that India was being ruled by the British government from England, at a distance of thousands of miles.
15. What were the apprehensions of Indians about the introduction of the railways?
The apprehensions of Indians about the introduction of the railways were that in the railway compartments, the higher castes and the lower castes were made to sit side by side. They believed that the British had introduced such practices to defy their caste and religion.
16. Mention any two measures which point to the policy of social discrimination followed by the British in India.
Two measures which point to the policy of social discrimination followed by the British in India are-
The Indian soldiers were poorly paid, ill-fed and badly housed.
All higher positions in employment were reserved for the British, irrespective of their performance
17. Give any two grievances of the peasantry against the British.
Two grievances of the peasantry against the British are-
Increase in the land revenue forced many peasants into indebtedness or into selling their lands.
The traditional zamindars were replaced by merchants and moneylenders. These new land owners had no concern for the peasants. They pushed rents to exorbitant levels and evicted their tenants in case of non-payment
18. Mention any two grievances harboured by the Indian soldiers which created an atmosphere favourable to the First War of Independence.
All higher positions in employment were reserved for the British, irrespective of their performance.
The wages of the Indian soldiers were inadequate to support their families. On the other hand, the British soldiers received more than eight times the salary of the Indian soldiers.
19. State two effects of the defeat of the British in the first Afghan War and the Punjab Wars on the Indian soldiers.
Two effects of the defeat of the British in the first Afghan War and the Punjab Wars on the Indian soldiers are-
The defeat of the British broke the myth that the British were invincible.
It revealed to the Indian soldiers that the British army could be defeated by the determined Indian army.
20. What was the immediate cause of the First War of Independence?
The immediate cause of the First War of Independence was the introduction of the Enfield rifle. The loading process of the Enfield rifle involved bringing the cartridge to the mouth and biting off the top greased paper with the teeth. In January 1857, there was a rumour in the Bengal regiments that the greased cartridge had the fat of cow or pig. The sepoys were now convinced that the introduction of greased cartridges was a deliberate move to defile Hindu and Muslim religions. So, the soldiers refused to use these cartridges and staged an uprising when they were forced to use them.
21. State two consequences of the First War of Indian Independence on the East India Company.
Two consequences of the First War of Indian Independence on the East India Company are-
I. End of the Company's rule in India
II. The British rulers declared emphatically their policy of non-interference in the religious affairs, customs and traditions of the Indians.
22. By 1857, conditions were ripe for a mass uprising in the form of the Great Revolt of 1857. In this context, explain the following: (a) Any three Economic causes for the revolt of 1857.
(b) Any three Military causes. (c) Any three Political causes of the revolt.
OR
Explain the causes of the Great Revolt of 1857, with reference to the following:
(a) Any three Political Causes.
(b) Any three Military Causes.
(c) Any four Economic Causes.
OR
The First War of Independence of 1857 was acumination of people's dissatisfaction with
the British rule. In this the following causes:
(a) Military causes
(b) Economic causes
(c) Political causes.
(a) Three economic causes for the revolt of 1857 were:
I. Exploitation of economic resources: India was forced to export raw materials like cotton textiles and raw silk at cheaper rates that the British industries needed urgently, India was made to accept readymade British goods which were duty-free or at nominal duty rates while Indian products were subjected to high import duties.
II. Drain of wealth: The British purchased raw materials for their industries in England from the surplus revenues of Bengalis and profits from duty-free
III. inland trade. The drain of wealth also included the salaries, income and savings of Englishmen, British expenditure in India on the purchase of military groups, office establishment, interest on debts, necessary expenditure on the army, etc.
IV. Growing unemployment: traditional rulers had given financial support to scholars, preachers and men of fine arts. The arrival of the British led to the decline of such rulers and gradually the patronage came to an end. And those who had depended on the patronage were impoverished.
(b) Three military causes were:
I. Ill treatment of Indian soldiers and lower salaries: The Indian soldiers were poorly paid, they were ill fed and badly housed. British military authorities forbade the sepoys from wearing caste or sectarian marks.
II. General Service Enlistment Act: According to the General Service Enlistment Act, Indian soldiers could be sent overseas on duty but it was a taboo for a Brahmin to cross the sea. So, the British did not take into account the sentiments of the Indian soldiers.
III. Less chances of promotions: All higher posts were reserved for the British. The Indian soldiers couldn't go above the post of Subedar. Thus, the future of Indian soldiers was bleak.
IV. Faulty distribution of troops: Places of strategic importance like Delhi and Allahabad had no British armies and were wholly held by the Indian soldiers.
V. Performance of the British troops: The British army suffered major reverse in the first Afghan War and the Crimean War broke the myth that the Britishers were invincible. It further was revealed to the Indian soldiers that the British army could be defeated by determined Indian army.
(c) Political causes of the revolt of 1857 were:
I. British policy of expansion: The British tried to expand their political power in India by four ways that were by out right wars, the system of Subsidiary Alliance, by adopting the Doctrine of Lapse and on the pretext of alleged misrule.
II. Disrespect shown to Bahadur Shah: In 1856, Lord Canning announced that after the death of Bahadur Shah his successors would not be allowed to use the imperial titles with their names and would not be known as the real princes.
III. Treatment given to Nana Sahib Nana Sahib was the adopted son of Bajirao II, the last Peshwa. The British refused to grant Nana Saheb the pension they were paying to Bajirao II. This was widely resented in Maratha state.
IV. Absentee sovereignty of the British: Since India was being ruled by the British government from England at a distance of thousand miles this was resented by the Indians. The Indians felt that they were being ruled from England and India's wealth was being drained to England and not utilized for their welfare.
23. Economic exploitation of the country produced discontent, resentment and resistance among the people that culminated in the Great Uprising of 1857. In this context discuss: (a) The ruin of trade and handicrafts (b) Impoverishment of the cultivators (c) Subordination of Indian economy to British interests (making India an agricultural colony of British capitalism)
A. The British crippled the Indian trade and handicrafts in the following manner-
I. Heavy duties on Indian silk and cotton textiles in Britain destroyed indian industries.
II. British goods were imported into India at a nominal duty.
III. By the middle of 19th century, export of cotton and silk goods from India practically ceased.
IV. The art of spinning and weaving, which for ages had given employment to thousands of artisans, became extinct.
V. The misery of the artisans was further compounded by the disappearance of their traditional patrons and buyers- the princes, chieftains and zamindars.
B. The official land revenue policy was the main cause of the impoverishment of the cultivators.
I. It was the peasantry that bore the heavy burden of taxes to provide money for the trade of the Company, for the cost of administration and the wars of British expansion in India. The land revenue was double the amount collected under the Mughals.
II. Not even a part of this revenue was spent on the development of agriculture or on the welfare of the cultivator.
III. Increase in the land revenue forced many peasants into indebtedness or into selling their lands.
IV. The traditional zamindars were replaced by merchants and money lenders, who had no concern for the peasants.
C. The British exploited the Indian resources for their own benefits in the following manner
I. They made agricultural India an economic colony to serve the interests of industrial England.
II. India was forced to export, at cheaper rates, raw material, raw cotton and raw silk that the British industries needed urgently.
III. India also exported plantation products and food grains which were in short supply in Britain.
IV. India was made to accept ready-made British goods either duty-free or at nominal duty rates, while Indian products were subjected to high import duties in England.
V. This ruined the Indian industry, deprived the artisans of their income and reduced the avenues of employment for labour.
VI. Export of raw materials and food grains deprived India of her agricultural surplus and raised the prices of raw materials.
24. The Great Outbreak of 1857 brought about important changes in the character of Indian administration and the future development of the country. In this context discuss: (a) The changes introduced in the administrative set-up of the British territories in India. (b) The changes in the Army (c) The changes in the relationship with Princely States.
(a) The most significant result of the uprising of 1857 was the end of the rule of the East India Company and assumption of the Government of India directly by the Crown. This was done by the Government of India Act of 1858 which had the following provisions
I. It transferred the power to govern India from the East India Company to the British Crown.
II. The Company's Board of Control and Court of Directors were abolished. The power was to be exercised by the Secretary of State for India, aided by a Council. The Secretary of State was a member of the British Cabinet and was responsible to the Parliament. Thus, the ultimate power over India remained with the British Parliament.
III. Actual governance was to be carried on, as before, by the Governor-General who was also given the title of Viceroy or Crown's personal representative.
IV. Appointments to the Civil Service were to be made by open competition under rules made by the Secretary of State.
(b) The Indian army was reorganised after 1858, to prevent the reoccurrence of another uprising, in the following way
I. The strength of the European troops in India was increased. The ratio of European to Indian troops was fixed at 1:2 (Bengal army) and 2:5 (Madras and Bombay armies). The general principle was that the number of Indian sepoys should not exceed twice that of the European troops.
II. European troops were kept in key geographical and military positions.
III. The sophisticated weapons and ammunitions were never placed under the charge of the Indians. All Indian artillery units, with the exceptions of a few mountain units, were disbanded.
IV. Discrimination on the basis of caste and religion was practised in the recruitment of the army.
V. Newspapers, journals and nationalist publications were prevented from reaching the soldiers.
VI. In order to discourage nationalism, measures such as introduction of caste and community in most regiments were taken.
(c) The changes in the relationship with Princely States are as follows:
I. The Policy of Annexation and the Doctrine of Lapse were abandoned.
II. Some of the Indian princes had remained loyal to the British and had helped them in suppressing the uprising.
III. Their loyalty was rewarded with the announcement that their right to adopt heirs would be respected and the integrity of their territories guaranteed against future annexation.
25. Although the First War of Independence of 1857 failed, it had important consequences for India. In this context, answer the following questions:
(a) How did the uprising give rise to nationalism in India? (b) How did the end of the East India Company's rule bring in grave economic perils in India? (c) State how the British Government tried to pacify the feelings of Indians with regard to: (i) their religious practices (ii) the Princely States.
(a) The uprising of 1857 was the first struggle of the Indian people for freedom from British imperialism. It paved the way for the rise of the national movement. The sacrifices made by Rani Laxmi Bai, Nana Saheb and Mangal Pandey served as a source of inspiration for the future freedom fighters. The heroic struggle also established valuable traditions of resistance to the British rule.
(b) The uprising of 1857 ushered in the era of economic exploitation in the following manner-
I. India was turned into a typical colonial economy, exporting raw material and importing finished goods.
II. The salary and allowances of the Secretary of State and members of the India Council, the civil servants and military officers were a large drain on the country's resources.
III. Peasants were impoverished under the British rule. The indigo peasants of Bihar revolted on a large scale in 1866-68.
IV. Rural artisan industries such as handicrafts, spinning and weaving collapsed.
V. Indians had to pay heavy interests and dividends on the British capital invested in India. The British invested their surplus capital in India in railways, plantations, coalmines, jute mills, shipping etc.
(c) The British Government tried to pacify the feelings of Indians in the following ways:
(i) Religious Practices:
The British rulers declared emphatically their policy of non-interference in the religious affairs, customs and traditions of the Indians.
Queen Victoria's Proclamation promised to follow a policy of non-intervention in social and religious matters of Indians.
The proclamation promised to treat all subjects- Indians and Europeans- as equals.
(ii) Princely States:
The Policy of Annexation and the Doctrine of Lapse were abandoned.
Some of the Indian princes had remained loyal to the British and had helped them in suppressing the uprising.
Their loyalty was rewarded with the announcement that their right to adopt heirs would be respected and the integrity of their territories guaranteed against future annexation.
In 1876, Queen Victoria assumed the title of the "Empress of India". The Indian princes willingly became junior partners or agents of the British Crown because they were promised that they would continue as rulers of their States.
26. Numerous causes gave rise to the First War of Independence and its consequences led to several changes in the British Government in India. In this context, answer the following: Briefly explain the immediate cause of the Great Revolt.
I. The immediate cause of the War of Independence was the introduction of Enfield Rifles in place of the old iron made Brown Bess Guns. The cartridges to be used for the Enfield Rifles were greased with the fat of cows and pigs. The cow, as we know, is sacred for the Hindus and the Muslims consider pig as unclean. The information about the greased cartridges spread like wildfire. The whole Bengal Army was seized with panic as it went against their religious sentiments.
II. On 24th April, 1857, some soldiers stationed at Meerut also refused to use the cartridges. On 9th May, 1857, they were severely punished for this. This incident sparked off a general mutiny among the sepoys of Meerut. On 10th May, 1857, these rebel soldiers killed their British officers, released their imprisoned comrades and hoisted the flag of revolt. This was the official beginning of the 'Great Revolt'.
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