War of Independence

A presentation telling about the war of independence in the Indian

subcontinent (1857-1858)
 The war of independence was a war that happened in 1857 in the Indian
What was the subcontinent. It lasted for a whole year till 1858 and the British despite having
many challenges in the start of the war eventually won it. The war was
war of originally initiated by the Indians, and the summarized cause of the war is that
it happened because of the British. I will explain the reasons of the war in the
independence. next slide.
Political
The political reasons were one of the main reasons
that the war started.

•First of all the doctrine of lapse introduced by the

British was very unpopular in which the British would
take any person’s land who did not have a legal or
biological heir.
•In the civil services and army more Higher ranking
positions like officers were given mostly to the British
and the less ranking positions like sepoys were given
to the Indians exclusive.
 Religious
•Religion also played a big role in the
causes of the war. First the initiative of
Christian missionaries in the sub
continental really triggered the people
of the sub continent.
•The British army also introduced a
new type of paper cartridge which
was covered with grease rumors
speed that the grease was of cow fat,
a holy animal for the Hindus, and pig
fat, a forbidden animal for the
Muslims therefore that also caused a
lot of unrest in the sub-continent.
Social
Social causes were also there like :

•The British used to treat the Indians as an

inferior race and they believed that they
were more superior to them. One British
man said that on bookshelf in a British
library is more valuable than the whole
entire Arabic and Indian culture.
•The British also made effort to spread
their culture into India as they believed
that their culture was more superior than
the Indian culture.
Economic
There were also economic causes of the war.

•The British imposed many high taxes on the Indians

and the British officers used to be very corrupt and
keep some of the tax money for themselves.
•Due to the high taxes imposed by the British most of
the Indian peasants were not able to pay the tax so
that caused a lot of unrest.
•The British also made a lot of money from the
resources and wealth of Indian and made profits from
them which also caused unrest.
Military

•There were also military causes of the war

•In the military the Indians were mostly

sepoys which were paid very low and that
caused unrest among the sepoys.
•It was also rumored that the Indian soldiers
were forced to convert to Christianity which
caused a lot of unrest mainly in Muslims and
Sikhs.
Some personalities of the
war
•Tipu Sultan, born in 1751, was the ruler of the Kingdom
of Mysore in South India. He was known for his fierce
resistance against British colonialism and the East India
Company. Tipu Sultan is remembered for his innovative
use of technology in warfare and his efforts to promote
trade and industry in his kingdom. He died in 1799,
defending his capital, Srirangapatna, against British
forces.
Rani of Jhansi
•The Rani of Jhansi, also known as Rani Lakshmibai, was a
prominent figure in India’s struggle for independence during
the 19th century. Born in 1828, she became the Queen of the
Maratha-ruled state of Jhansi in 1853. Rani Lakshmibai is best
known for her fearless leadership during the Indian Rebellion of
1857, where she valiantly defended Jhansi against British
forces.
Events of the war
•The rebellion in Meerut was a sudden
and bold declaration of resistance against
British rule. As the sepoys refused to obey
their British superiors and turned against
them, the mutiny rapidly spread to other
parts of North India. This event marked
the beginning of a protracted and
tumultuous period in Indian history,
uniting various regions and communities
in a common cause for independence.
Siege of Delhi

•The Siege of Delhi in 1857 was a

pivotal moment in the Indian
Rebellion, where rebels captured
the historic city and declared
Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal
emperor, as their leader. The
events in Delhi symbolized the
resurgence of Mughal authority
and became the epicenter of the
rebellion, rallying diverse groups
against British colonial rule.
Siege of Lucknow

•The Siege of Lucknow, which

extended from May 1857 to
March 1858, was a protracted
and grueling episode in the
Indian Rebellion. It
transformed Lucknow into a
symbol of unwavering
resilience, where British
residents, military personnel,
and Indian supporters were
besieged by rebel forces.
Why the war failed
•The Indian War of Independence in 1857-
1858 failed to achieve its goal of ending
British colonial rule due to a lack of
centralized leadership, the superior British
military, internal divisions among rebels,
external support for the British, and their
ruthless suppression tactics. The
rebellion’s fragmentation, combined with
the economic and political power held by
the British, made it difficult to mount a
sustained and unified resistance. While it
did not secure immediate independence,
the rebellion left a lasting legacy, inspiring
future movements that eventually led to
Pakistan's independence in 1947.
Thank You.

Made by: Ali, Shams, Talha, Moin, Hafiz