write a note on the social causes of the revolt of 1857 A.D.
Answers
Answer:
The social causes of the Revolt of 1857 were: The British introduced railways, post and telegraph in India. Such innovations were alien to the Indians, who became fearful of the British intentions. The British followed a policy of RACIAL DISCRIMINATION and looked down upon the Indians.
long note_______
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 had diverse political, economic, military, religious and social causes.
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 had diverse political, economic, military, religious and social causes.An uprising in several sepoy companies of the Bengal army was sparked by the issue of new gunpowder cartridges for the Enfield rifle February, 1857. The cartridges were rumoured to have been made from cow and sow fat. Loading the Enfield required tearing open the greased cartridge with one's teeth. This would have insulted both Hindu and Muslim religious practices; cows were considered holy by Hindus, while pigs were considered unclean by Muslims. Underlying grievances over British taxation and recent land annexations by the British East Indian Company (BEIC) were ignited by the sepoy mutineers, and within weeks, dozens of units of the Indian army joined peasant armies in widespread rebellion. The old aristocracy, both Muslim and Hindu, who were seeing their power steadily eroded by the BEIC, also rebelled against British rule. Another important source of discontent among the Indian rulers was that the British policies of conquest had created unrest among many Indian rulers. In the decade prior to the rebellion, the BEIC imposed a 'doctrine of lapse' (of Indian leadership succession), and the policy 'subsidiary alliance' both of which deprived Indian rulers of some of their sovereignty. One of the main reasons for the revolt was that the British East India Company also started meddling with India’s political and financial system. Sepoy units combined with local populations in a major rebellion in 1857 that temporarily unified many Indians across sect, caste, and religious differences.
Answer:
Background
Significant part of the British rule over India. Transformed the ruling system of Britain in India. No other event contributed greater in terms of Britain’s changing policy. From 1757-1857, the EIC established strong colonial footings in India. But during this time the EIC was involved in the ‘visible’ aspects of colonialism and that exploitation greatly hampered the prospects of Indians- in terms of the social, political, economical and military scenario of India.
Thus, the exploitation carried out by the East India Company in 100 years, found reactions in various revolts. But the scale of the revolt of 1857 was much larger and unprecedented. This revolt prompted the British Parliament to take direct control over India.
Causes of Revolt
Social
Economical
Political
Military
Immediate Factor
Social Factors
Racial discrimination was the prime factor. Indians suffered badly in the hands of the Europeans. There was visible racial exploitation wherein Indians were not allowed to mix with the Europeans. There was discrimination that was also carried out at the public places. This generated gross discontentment against the domination of the whites in India.
The British were also circumspect about interfering in the religious and cultural affairs of Indians. And that if there was to be any interference in their religious and cultural affairs, then that would generate widespread revolts against the British rule and the newly established British rule would be uprooted very easily.
Until 1800, the British were thus not keen to interfere in the social and religious affairs of Indians. But, in the beginning of the 19th Century, when some entrepreneurial Indians came forward, the British began to support their bid of social reforms by the methods of legislation.
Thus, it can be summarized that Indians began to doubt the objectives of the British since the advent of these legislations. Some glaring examples of this period are the 1813 Charter Act which conservative Indians viewed as an imposition of Christianity over them. Therefore, they sharply reacted.
At the same time, when some of the social legislations were passed, like, the abolition of Sati, 1829 was passed by Lord William Bentinck (which was implemented across all presidencies across British India), Prohibition of human sacrifice, and abolition of child marriage, widow remarriage, etc. were all understood by Indians as a bid to impose Christianity over them.
Therefore, in the first half of the 19th Century, the British proposal of social reform through the means of legislation- although it was directed towards the acceptability of British rule over India, but conservative sections viewed this as an imposition of Christianity over them.
Explanation:
Thus, social factors contributed largely to the revolt which was expressed in 1857.