POLITICAL CAUSES

1. Policy of expansion:
(a) By outright wars
(b) By subsidiary alliance
(c) By using doctrine of lapse
(d) On pretext of alleged misrule:
2. Disrespect to bahadurshah zafar
3. Treatment given to nanashaeb
4. Absentee sovereignty of the british

1. POLICY OF EXPANSION: Indian rulers were angered by the policy of expansion

followed by British through this they annexed Indian states. British did this in four ways
(A) BY OUTRIGHT WARS:
To expand their territories in India British wages many wars. Through the battle of Buxar
they annexed Bengal, Bihar and Odisha, through Anglo Mysore wars they acquired
Mysore and through Anglo Sikh war they annexed Punjab.
(B)BY SUBSIDIARY ALLIANCE: Indian states were brought under British control without
annexing them. It was introduced by Lord Wellesley. According to this
(i) Indian rulers had to accept British as supreme power:
(ii) They had to surrender foreign relations, would not enter into any alliance and not
wage wars.
(iii) They had to accept a British resident at their headquarters and not employ any
European without consulting British.
(iv) They had to maintain the British troops at their own cost and thus lost their
independence.

(C) BY USING DOCTRINE OF LAPSE: introduced by Lord Dalhousie according to this if an Indian
ruler died without any male heir, the kingdom would come under company’s rule. It also
took away titles and pensions of the rulers.
Example: Jhansi, satara, jaitpur, Udaipur, nagpur sambhalpur.
When king of Jhansi died without a male heir his adopted son was not recognised a legal
successor.

(D) ON PRETEXT OF ALLEGED MISRULE: under this Awadh was annexed on pretext of being
misgoverned. Due to this
(i) People had to pay higher land revenue and taxes on food, house and ferries.
(ii) nawabs army was disbanded throwing thousands of soldiers , nobles, officials out of
jobs.
(iii) British took away the estates of taluqdars and zamindars.

2. DISRESPECT TO BAHADURSHAH ZAFAR:

The name of the Mughal king was removed from the coins minted the company. It was
also announced that his successors would not be allowed to use the red fort as their
palace, and to use the imperial titles. As a result of this his wife Zeenat Mahal began
plotting against British.

3. TREATMENT GIVEN TO NANASHAEB:

Nanasaheb was adopted son of Baji Rao Peshwa II the last Peshwa. British refused to
grant nanasheb the pension they were paying to Baji Rao II. He was forced to live at
Kanpur, far away from his family seat at poona.

4. ABSENTEE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE BRITISH:

Means British ruled India from a distance of thousands miles away. Earlier rules like rules
had settled in India in course of time and they spent the revenue collected by them in
India only. But British drained India’s wealth to England and utilised it for their welfare.
This was resented by Indians.
SOCIORELIGIOUS CAUSES
1. Interference with social customs.
2. Apprehensions about modern innovations
3. Policy of racial discrimination
4. Corruption in administration
5. Oppression of poor
6. Activities of missionaries
7. Fears regarding western education
8. Taxing religious places
9. Law of property

1. INTERFERENCE WITH SOCIAL CUSTOMS.

British interfered with social and religious life of Indians which created a widespread fear
among Indians. They introduced some reforms like abolition of sati and widow
remarriage act to improve the conditions of people. Further they also opened western
education for girls. All these were not welcomed by masses.

2. APPREHENSIONS ABOUT MODERN INNOVATIONS:

When British introduced modern innovations like railways and telegraph there were
rumours that the telegraph post were erected to hang those who were against British
rule. Furthermore the orthodox Indians did not like the idea of higher and lower castes
made to sit side by side in railway compartments. They believed that it was done to defy
their religion.

3. POLICY OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION:

British officers were rude to Indians and ill-treated and insulted them. They believed that
they were superior and followed the policy of contempt towards Indians. They also
labelled Muslims as unfaithful and cruel. All these discriminations set the Indians against
British.

4. CORRUPTION IN ADMININSTRATION:
Police and the petty officials were corrupt. The rich got away with the crime but the poor
were looted tortured and oppressed.

5. OPPRESSION OF POOR :
Cultivators were whipped tortured and imprisoned if they were unable to pay arrears of
rent, land revenue and interest.

6. ACTIVITIES OF MISSIONARIES:
Earlier British had no zeal for their own religion. They even acted as trustee to some
Indian temples. But later they changed their attitude. They began to interfere with local
religious and social customs. They condemned idol worship and labelled the local beliefs
as ignorant. They also increased the number and activities of Christian missionaries.
Indians thought that government was supporting the missionaries who wanted to
convert them to Christianity.

7. FEARS REGARDING WESTERN EDUCATION:

Western education in form of English classes was introduced in many madrasas and
Sanskrit schools. The pundits and Maulvis saw this as an attempt to discourage Islamic
and Hindu studies. People started suspecting that western education aimed at
encouraging their children to become Christians and not to promote literature and
sciences.

8. TAXING RELIGIOUS PLACES:

British started taxing land belonging to temples and mosques which were exempted from
tax by earlier rulers. This hurt the sentiment of Indians and the families’ dependent on
these lands began to propagate that British is trying to weaken the religions of India.

9. LAW OF PROPERTY:
British passed the Hindu law of property under which anyone who would convert from
Hinduism to other religions was allowed to inherit his father’s property. Hindus
considered this as motivation to give up one religion.
ECONOMIC CAUSES
1. Exploitation of economic resources
2. Drain of wealth.
3. Decay of cottage industries and handicrafts
4. Economic decline of peasantry
5. Growing unemployment
6. Inhuman treatment to indigo cultivators
7. Poverty and famines
8. Decline of landed aristocracy.

1. EXPLOITATAION OF ECONOMIC RESOURCES.

British made India its economic colony and exported its agricultural resources like cotton,
silk etc needed by British industries. They made India a market for their readymade
goods which were imported to India at no duty or at nominal duty while Indian goods
were subjected to high import taxes in England. India’s handmade goods could not
compete with the cheaper machine made British goods. Thus Indian industry was ruined
and artisans lost their jobs and ways of income. Due to export of raw materials and food
grains the prices of raw materials increased in India.

2. DRAIN OF WEALTH.
After conquering Bengal British stopped getting god to India and now purchased raw
material for their industries from surplus revenues of Bengal and profits of duty-free
Indian trade. This transfer of wealth from India to England for which India got no
proportionate economic return is called drain of wealth.

3. DECAY OF COTTAGE INDUSTRIES AND HANDICRAFTS:

British goods were imported to India at no duty or at nominal duty while Indian goods
were subjected to high import taxes in England. In course of time the export of cotton
and silk completely stopped. Spinning and weaving became extinct and the traditional
patrons and buyers like the princes and zamindars disappeared. All this added to the
misery of artisans and destroyed the Indian industries.

4. ECONOMIC DECLINE OF PEASANTRY:

Many peasants lost their lands due to the British land revenue policy. Besides they had to
pay heavy taxes. British now collected double the revenue as collected under Mughals
and not even a part of it was spent for welfare of peasants. This forced them into
indebtedness and selling the land. The traditional zamindars were replaced by money
lenders who had no concern for the peasants and increased the rent exorbitantly. They
also evicted the tenants for non-payment.

5. GROWING UNEMPLOYMENT:
Traditional rulers who patronized the artisans lost their power after British came and
could no longer patronise the artisans. Moreover when Indian states were annexed by
British their army was disbanded throwing thousands of soldiers, nobles, officials out of
jobs. Also British excluded Indians from high posts.

6. INHUMAN TREATMENT TO INDIGO CULTIVATORS:

British forced the peasants to cultivate indigo as it was profitable to them but the
conditions under which they worked were inhuman. Moreover if the peasants planted
anything else their crops were destroyed and their cattle taken away as punishment.

7. POVERTY AND FAMINES:

Economic exploitation of India by British through high taxation, drain of wealth etc
reduced Indians to extreme poverty. The peasants were forced to grow indigo instead of
food crops, there were also droughts and other natural calamities leading to shortage of
food. The country was ravaged by twelve major and numerous minor famines.

8. DECLINE OF LANDED ARISTOCRACY.

According to the provisions of Inam commission around 2000 estates were confiscated as
taluqdars and landlords failed to produce the legal documents proving their ownership of
land. These were sold in auctions to merchants and moneylenders who did not
understand the needs of tenants and exploited them. This led to decline of aristocracy.
MILITARY CAUSES
1. Ill-treatment of Indian soldiers.
2. General Service enlistment act.
3. Larger proportion of Indians in British army
4. Bleak prospect of promotion
5. Deprivation of allowances.
6 Faulty distribution of troops
7. Poor performance of British troops
8. Low salaries.

1. ILL-TREATMENT OF INDIAN SOLDIERS.

Though Indian soldiers were as efficient as their British counterparts and had helped
British to establish their empire in India, they were poorly paid, ill-fed and badly housed.
Indian sepoys were not allowed to wear their caste or sectarian marks, beards or turbans
thus showing disregard for their sentiments.

2. GENERAL SERVICE ENLISTMENT ACT:

British passed general service enlistment act according to which Indian soldiers could be
sent overseas on duty. But according to traditional belief it was taboo for Brahmin to
cross overseas. So they saw this as a danger to their caste.

3. LARGER PROPORTION OF INDIANS IN BRITISH ARMY

The number of British troops in India was as low as one in four thousand. This made it
easier for the large number of Indian soldiers to take up arms against British.

4. BLEAK PROSPECT OF PROMOTION:

All higher positions in employment were reserved for British irrespective of their
performance. Even the soldiers who held high positions in armies of native princes were
not allowed to rise above the rank o Subedar.

5. DEPRIVATION OF ALLOWANCES.
British extended their dominion in India and now the sepoys were required to serve the
areas away from their homes without extra payment and additional Bhatta (Foreign
Service allowance). The post office act took away privilege of free postage enjoyed by
sepoys.

6 FAULTY DISTRIBUTION OF TROOPS

Places of strategic importance had no British army but had only Indian soldiers. England
was also engaged in other wars outside India. Thus Indian soldiers thought that that
British were in difficulty and dependent on them and now they waited for a suitable time
to strike at them.
7. POOR PERFORMANCE OF BRITISH TROOPS
British suffered badly in some of its wars like the afghan war, Punjab war, Santhal
rebellion etc. Though British suppressed Santhal rebellion, their rule was temporarily
swept away. This broke the myth that British were invincible. Indian solders developed a
belief that British can be defeated by determined Indian army.

8. LOW SALARIES.
Salaries of Indian soldiers were not enough to support their families while the British
soldiers were paid eight times the Indian soldiers salary.

IMMEDIATE CAUSE:
British introduced a new Enfield Rifle. To load it with cartridge the one had to bite off its
top greased paper with teeth. The grease had fat of pig and cow. Cow is sacred for
Hindus and pig is a taboo for Muslims. They refused to use it and revolted.

CONSEQUENCES OF FIRST WAR OF INDEPENDENCE:

1. END OF COMPANY’S RULE

a. Power to govern India was transferred from the company to the crown the under
government of India act. Queen adopted the title ‘Empress of India’.
b. Earlier the Directors of the Company and the Board of Control  had the power to
govern India .Now it was given to the secretary of state (a member of British
cabinet) was responsible for parliament he was advised by a council of 15
members. Thus India came under direct rule of the British Parliament
c. Designation of governor general was changed to viceroy. Lord canning was
appointed as the first viceroy who would carry out actual governance (run the
administration) on behalf of crown under the control of secretary of India.
d. Appointments to civil services were to be made by open competition as per the
rules made by secretary of state and his council.

2. QUEEN VITORIA’S PROCLAMATION.

Was made at Allahabad on 1st November 1858. It promised the following
a. British will not interfere in social and religious matters of Indians.
b. Indians and Europeans would be treated as equals.
c. British would pardon all who took part in the war except those found guilty of
murder.
d. Bring about advancement of industries in India.

Changes in administration:
a. Power to govern India was transferred from the company to the crown the under
government of India act. Queen adopted the title ‘Empress of India’.
b. Power to govern India was transferred to the Secretary of State who was
responsible to the British Parliament.). He was advised by a council of 15 members.
c. Policy of annexation was abandoned and Princely States were given right to adopt
heir. They continued the policy of divide and rule by turning princes against people ,
province against province, caste against caste and Hindus against Muslims.
d. Changes in the army:
 Number of European troops was increased. The number of Indian sepoys was
never to exceed twice the European troops.
 European troops were kept in the key geographical and military positions.
 The sophisticated weapons and ammunition were placed under British
troops to discourage any future uprising.
 Soldiers were not allowed access to newspaper, journals and nationals to
separate them from the rest of the population.
 Discrimination on basis of caste was practised in recruitment of army.