what were the important causes of 1857 rebellion
Answers
Poor salary and abuse by the British officers were the major reasons for their resentment. The rumour that the cartridge in the newly supplied Enfield rifles were greased with the fat of cows and pigs provoked them. It wounded the religious sentiments of the Hindu and Muslim soldiers. The soldiers who were unwilling to use the new cartridges were punished by the officers. In Barrackpore in Bengal, Mangal Pandey, an Indian soldier, shot at a British officer, who forced him to use the new cartridge. He was arrested and hanged to death. People from all walks of life including kings, farmers, craftsmen, etc took part in the rebellion. The British rule had adversely affected the kings too. In addition to the Doctrine of Lapse, the princely states were convicted of inefficient rule and were annexed by the British. This made the kings to lead the rebellion.
