the santhal rebellion before the ist war of independence was the most massive uprising . Discuss.
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Answer:
The 1857 uprising of Indian sepoys is commonly considered to be the first war of independence in Indian history, even though it was preceded by tribal revolts such as the Halba rebellion of 1774, the Bhil revolt of 1818, and the Kol uprising of 1831.
The Santal Hul (revolution) of 1855-56 was one such landmark revolt fought by the Santal Adivasis and lower caste peasants against the exploitative upper caste zamindars (landlords), mahajans (moneylenders), darogas (police), traders, and imperial forces from the East India Company in the erstwhile Bengal presidency.
The Santals settled into the present-day Santhal Parganas between 1790-1810 after being driven away by zamindars from the neighbouring Birbhum estate. The area was called Damin-i-Koh (skirts of the hills), a khas property of the colonial government created for the Paharias who lived in the hill tracts. The Santals were welcomed to clear the dense jungles for cultivation and given land for settlement in the foothills on rent. They came to assert that since they were the first to clear and inhabit the land, they were its rightful stewards.

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History
Remembering Santal Hul: The First Struggle Against Imperialism
It was indeed an unequal conflict, as the Santals unflinchingly fought with bows and arrows against troops armed with artillery – an indicator of how precious self-rule was to them.
Jun 30, 2021 | Nolina S. Minj and Rahi Soren

Illustration: Saheb Ram Tudu from Ruby Hembrom's 'Disaibon Hul' (2014).
The 1857 uprising of Indian sepoys is commonly considered to be the first war of independence in Indian history, even though it was preceded by tribal revolts such as the Halba rebellion of 1774, the Bhil revolt of 1818, and the Kol uprising of 1831.
The Santal Hul (revolution) of 1855-56 was one such landmark revolt fought by the Santal Adivasis and lower caste peasants against the exploitative upper caste zamindars (landlords), mahajans (moneylenders), darogas (police), traders, and imperial forces from the East India Company in the erstwhile Bengal presidency.
The Santals settled into the present-day Santhal Parganas between 1790-1810 after being driven away by zamindars from the neighbouring Birbhum estate. The area was called Damin-i-Koh (skirts of the hills), a khas property of the colonial government created for the Paharias who lived in the hill tracts. The Santals were welcomed to clear the dense jungles for cultivation and given land for settlement in the foothills on rent. They came to assert that since they were the first to clear and inhabit the land, they were its rightful stewards.
But a final, peaceful and sovereign homeland for the tribe was not to be because of the diku – the exploitative outsiders.
When the lands were cleared, the zamindars raised their rent. The mahajans charged unreasonable interest rates, took control of their lands as foreclosure, and forced them into bonded labour. Traders in the markets often swindled the Santals by using heavier weights when buying from them and lighter weights when selling to them. Appeals to the British administration went unheard and seeking recourse from the law was not easy since the courts were in the faraway districts of Deoghar and Bhagalpur.