Revolt of 1857 - Notes

A. Choose the correct answer and fill in theblanks.

1. Lord Dalhousie's policy of the Doctrine of Lapse was resented by
the ruling class because it curbed their rights of adoption.
2. Machine-made products from England flooded the Indian markets
and created unemployment among artisans andcraftsmen.
3. Mangal Pandey of the 34th regiment, fired at his Sergeant Major
and asked his comrades to revolt against the British in defence of
their caste and religion.
4. In Awadh, the revolt was bravely led by Begum Hazrat Mahal.
5. The immediate cause of the revolt was the use of greased
cartridges by the soldiers.
• Match the Column

Column A Column B
1. Kanpur Nana Saheb Kunwar Singh
2. Bareilly Khan Bahadhur Khan Begum Hazrat Mahal

3. Delhi Bhakt Khan Nana Saheb

4. Lucknow Begum Hazrat Mahal Bhakt Khan

5. Bihar Kunwar Singh Khan Bahadhur Khan

• Fill in the blanks.
• 1. There was great resentment among the people because of the
annexation of Awadh.
• 2. The attempts by the British to introduce greased cartridges hurt
the religious sentiments of the people.
• 3. The Revolt of 1857 began at Barrackpur.
• 4. The Indians claimed Bahadur Shah Zafar as emperor of India.
• 5. Under the Queen's Proclamation, the policy of annexation was put
to an end
• D. State whether true or false. If false, correct the statement.
• 1. The Revolt of 1857 was the first ever large scale rebellion of the
Indian soldiers of the British army. True
• 2. The social reforms introduced by the British were particularly
welcomed by the Indian people. False
• 3.The soldiers at Barrackpore were the first to refuse the use of
greased cartridges. True
• 4.Lack of unity was one of the causes of the failure of the revolt. True
• 5. Most of the Indian rulers had joined the Revolt of 1857. False
• E. Answer the following questions in10-20 words.
1. What profession did the artisans and craftsmen turn to when they could no
longer make profit from their products?
Ans. The artisans and craftsmen turned to agriculture when they could no longer
make profit from their products.
2. Why did the soldiers not want to use the greased catridges?
Ans. The grease used in the cartridges was made from fat of cow or pig both Hindu
and Muslim soldiers refused to use the greased cartridges as it hurt their religious
sentiments.
3. Who led the revolt against the British in Awadh?
Ans. In Awadh, the revolt was led by Begum Hazrat Mahal, one of the queens of the
Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah.
4. Name a few leaders who led the various rebellions and revolts around the
country.
Ans. Nana Saheb and Rani Lasksmi Bai in Jhansi, Kunwar Singh in Bihar, and Begum
Hazrat Mahal in Lucknow were some of the leaders who led the revolts.
F. Answer the following questions in 50-70 words.
1. Why were the social reforms introduced by the British resented by the Indians?
Ans. Charter Act of 1813 allowed the missionaries to enter India, which the Indians
was feared was a move to convert them to Christianity. A useful social legislation
like the abolition of sati, and encouragement of widow remarriage were considered
as unnecessary interferences. And the feelings of the people were hurt further by
the taxes that were imposed upon the land on which temples and mosques were
built. All of this led to discontentment among all classes of Indians.

2. How far was the Doctrine of Lapse responsible for the Revolt of 1857?
Ans. Lord Dalhousie's policy of the Doctrine of Lapse was resented by the ruling
class because it curbed their rights of adoption. This created a sense of fear,
suspicion and resentment among the rulers of the Indian states and this became
one of the primary political reasons behind the Revolt.
3.Name the areas where support for the revolt was strong and places where the revolt
failed to penetrate.
Ans. The Revolt covered the entire territory from Delhi to Bihar in the East. In Punjab,
Rajasthan, Gwalior and Indore the soldiers protested but they were easily suppressed. The
Revolt spread to one or two places in south India but the attempts of revolt in Ahmedabad,
Hyderabad, Sindh, etc. were thwarted. Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi and Gwalior
remained the main centres of the Revolt of 1857.

4. What were the causes of discontent amongst the soldiers?

Ans. The sepoys in the colonial army were unhappy with many rules and regulations
imposed by the British. The soldiers felt indignant when Awadh was annexed to British
territory. Sikh and Muslim soldiers had been assured that they would not be asked to
remove their beard or hair, but orders were passed for removing them. In September 1856,
a general order dictated that all new recruits would have to take an oath that they would
fight for Britain at any place wherever. Sepoys were paid very low salaries and no
remuneration for fighting in distant places. All of th made the soldiers feel that they were
being insulted and their religion was being threatened.
5. Do you believe that weak leadership was one of the reasons for the failure of the
revolt?
Ans. Yes, the leadership of the revolt was weak and it was not organised under one
person or one command. The leaders of the revolt like Emperor Bahadur Shah,
Begum Hazrat Mahal, Nana Saheb and Tantia Tope, Rani Lakshmi Bai and others
neither planned nor coordinated with one another as one unit. This contributed
towards the failure of the revolts.