Question

What were the causes of Revolt of 1857 ?

Answer 1

The revolt of 1857 was the consequence of many causes.

The immediate spark that led to the mutiny was the introduction of the Enfield rifle in the Indian army.

The rumour was that cartridge was made of beef and pig fat.

Hindus would not touch beef and Muslims would not touch pork. Because it required the soldiers to tear the greased cartridge with their teeth.  

Answer 2

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$\implies$The caused behind the 1857 revolt were:

• Political causes:

1. Lord Dalhousie’s policy of Doctrine of lapse has created several rulers deadly enemies of the British.

2. The armies of annexed states were disbanded leading to loss of means of income for thousands of families spreading hatred against the British.

3. The English had a feeling of superiority and treated the Indians with arrogance and insulted them.

4. Corrupt and inefficient British administration.

• Social and Religious causes:

1. The practice of Sati was abolished .Child marriage ,polygamy and infanticide were forbidden .The people thought that British wanted to ruin their social order.

2. The activities of Christian missionaries converting hindus and muslims to Christianity.

3. In 1850, The British government passed a law which enabled a convert to Christianity to inherit his ancestral property. It hurt the religious sentiments of the people.

• Economic causes:

1. The British exploited the economic resources of India and carried away India’s wealth to their country.

2. The British policies caused decline of Indian industries.

3. The growing poverty of the masses and frequent famines spread discontent.

• Military Causes:

1. The Indian sepoys were not given handsome salaries. They had no chances of promotion either.

2. In 1856 An act, General Service Enlistment Act was passed under which every new recruit undertook to serve overseas. This hurt the sentiments of the sepoys.

3. The number of Indian soldiers was five times that of the British troops. It encouraged the Indian soldiers to take up arms against the English.

• Immediate Cause:

1. A new type of rifle was introduced called Enfield Rifle. Greased Cartridges were used in it. A rumour spread that the cartridge was greased with the fat of cow and pig this enraged both the Hindu and Muslim soldiers. The reforms resented by Indians were :

2. The practice of sati was abolished .Child marriage, infanticide and polygamy was forbidden .widow remarriage was legalized. Indians believed that britishers wanted to ruin Indian social order.

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