Final Project

Muhammad Shafi
S2021054014
SECTION=C22
Pak-Studies

Section C22
Contents
War of Independence 1857 - 1858...............................................................................................2
Background:....................................................................................................................................2
Long-Term Causes of the Uprising............................................................................................2
Destruction of the Textile Industry:.................................................................................................2
Religious Reforms:...........................................................................................................................3
Social Reforms:.................................................................................................................................3
Political Reforms:..............................................................................................................................3
Discrimination:...................................................................................................................................3
Immediate Causes & Events of 1857 - 1858.............................................................................4
January 1857:....................................................................................................................................4
March 1857:.......................................................................................................................................4
May 1857:..........................................................................................................................................4
September 1857:..............................................................................................................................4
June 1858:.........................................................................................................................................5
Reasons of the Failure..................................................................................................................5
Disunity:..............................................................................................................................................5
British Strength:.................................................................................................................................5
Consequences of the Failure.......................................................................................................6
The End of Mughal Empire:.............................................................................................................6
Tyrannical Rule:................................................................................................................................6
Hatred Towards Muslims:................................................................................................................6
Military Reforms:...............................................................................................................................6
Cancellation of Doctrine Lapse:......................................................................................................6
End of East India Company:................................................................................................................7
Removal of Centralization:...............................................................................................................7
 War of Independence 1857 - 1858

Background:
During the 1850s, the British became confident about their hold on the sub-
continent. The British did not realize but many issues and dismays of the
Indians were building up anger in them including the behavior of British
towards them and unbiased policies. The Events of 1857 worked as a final
nail and made the Indians highly dissatisfied and threatened by the British
rule. As a result, the British were challenged by an uprising in 1857. The
uprising didn’t succeed due to a number of reasons, but it became a driving
motivation for many generations to come. Many changes happened as a
consequence of the uprising; the life of Muslims became hell as the British
considered them as the main source of the uprising to restore the Mughal
Empire. However, it also brought out some good policy changes in favor of
the Indians.

Long-Term Causes of the Uprising

Destruction of the Textile Industry:

The British destroyed the textile industry to promote gain profit from the
textile manufacturing in England. This made the Indians live in poor
conditions because British’s mass-produced products fill the market.

Religious Reforms:
Western missionaries started criticizing Hinduism and Islam to promote
Christianity. Satti (Hindu tradition) was banned as it was considered
inhumane and window marriage allowed. Christian missionaries set up
schools and started teaching Christianity. Pardha (Hijab) was ridiculed by
them.

Social Reforms:
Doctrine Lapse was introduced i.e. the British can confiscate any land
without a male heir. High taxes were made compulsory by the British rulers
to be paid by all Indians. The British introduced new ways of life including
telegraph, railways, and roads. This threatened the Indians regarding their
culture's security.

Political Reforms:
Persian and Arabic were removed as the official language and replaced by
English. This was considered as the cultural intervention and increased the
unemployment rate for Indians. The Mughal Emperor was moved from the
Red Fort of Delhi to obscure Qutub Sahib. The Indians considered it an
insult.

Discrimination:
The British officer treated their local sepoys with inferiority. The sepoys
were paid very low. The British officers used English in front of the sepoys
and disposed of the men’s local language that could understand. British’s
trials were done in special courts and the judgments given by British Judge
was cruel for Indians as compared to the British.

(Darraj, Susan Muaddi, (2011). “The Indian Independence Act of 1947”,

New York: Chelsea House, )

 
 Immediate Causes & Events of 1857 - 1858

January 1857:
• The British announced the introduction of new rifles whose cartridge has
to be ripped open using teeth to load it.
• A rumor spread that the cartridge of the new rifles was greased using the
fat of pig and cow.
• It enraged both Muslims and Hindus as the Hindus considered cows
sacred and the pig was forbidden in Islam.

March 1857:
• Mangal Pandey openly resisted his British officer and got executed.

May 1857:
• In Meerut, the sepoys refused to touch the new rifles and were court-
martialed and imprisoned.
• The imprisoned sepoys were rescued by their fellows and marched to
Delhi and captured it.
• At that time, Bahadur Shah II became a uniting force between Hindu and
Muslims.
• Bahadur Shah II received support from both Muslims and Hindus for the
uprising.
• War spread and the British lost their control over Allahabad, Lucknow,
Jhansi, and Kanpur.

September 1857:
• The British proved to be powerful and immediately regained their control
over Lucknow and Delhi.
• Bahadur Shah II was forced to surrender.
• As a lesson, the British killed Bahadur Shah II’s sons brutally.
June 1858:
• Lakshmibhai, Rani of Jhansi was killed in battle.
• Tatya Topee, Indian general was caught and executed.
• August 1858:
•The War was declared over officially.

(Coupland, R., (1944), “The Indian Problem”, New York: OUP.)

Reasons of the Failure

Disunity:

The rebels did not have a common purpose and lacked unity. Many refused
to fight unless they are harmed directly. Nana Sahib only wanted the
Doctrine Lapse to be reversed and was ready to come to terms with British
if it is done. Many state rulers supported British to avoid losing their power.
The ruler of Kashmir presented his 2000 army men to help the British. The
British Governor-General, Lord Canning presented a conciliatory policy that
if any rebel gave up, he will be forgiven.  Following the announcement of
the conciliatory policy, few of the leader left the rebellion and joined hands
with the British. The rebels harmed and destroyed public and private
properties that made the locals displeased. As a result, they supported the
British who stood to regain law and order.

British Strength:
The British were much more powerful than the rebellious group. Since they
have conquered Punjab and Sindh already, the rebellion did not receive
any support from Sindhis and Punjabis in the war of 1857. Mughal
Emperor, Bahadur Shah II, who was leading the rebellion showed
incompetence during the war. The British weaponry was much more
advanced and superior giving them an edge over the rebellion group. The
British Leaders, Edwards and Neil were much more confident and
experienced than the rebel leaders and fought with complete loyalty
towards the Queen.
( Godley, Arthur, (1908). “East India Proclamation, 1858”)

 
Consequences of the Failure

The End of Mughal Empire:

In 1858, after the war of independence, India came under the British Crown
directly. It ended the Mughal Empire’s reign completely from the political
scene.The Muslims were shaken by the removal of Muslim authority.

Tyrannical Rule:
The rebels due to their incompetence failed to get freedom from the British
rule. The Indians ended as slaves and a period of tyrannical rule started as
the British acquired complete autonomy.

Hatred Towards Muslims:

The British considered Muslims as the main cause behind the uprising and
hatred towards them started. The British became cautious and rigid in their
behavior.

Military Reforms:
The number of British soldiers in the army increased. Many of the Indians
became jobless. The forces that took part in the rebellion were executed
with cruel punishment such as blown by canon alive. The supply of the
greased cartridge rifles was stopped completely.
Cancellation of Doctrine Lapse:
The doctrine lapse was reversed allowing the inheritance of ancestral lands
to Indians. The policy was annexation was also changed with the Queen’s
decision to stay with their current territorial possession.

End of East India Company:

The British Government blamed East India Company behind the uprising
and took over it and removed it from the scene.

Removal of Centralization:
The 1833 Act, the policy of centralization was changed, and new reforms
were taken for decentralizations. A Secretary of State was introduced with
15 council members and Indians were allowed to be elected in the
provisional councils. Bombay and Madras governments’ legislative power
was restored by 1861 Act. In many provinces including Bengal and Punjab,
new legislative councils were established. The political involvement of
Indians improved.
(Roberts, P.E., (1952). “History of British India Under the Company and the
Crown”, Oxford, London,)

References:
Coupland, R., (1944), “The Indian Problem”, New York: OUP.
Darraj, Susan Muaddi, (2011). “The Indian Independence Act of 1947”,
New York: Chelsea House,

Godley, Arthur, (1908). “East India Proclamation, 1858”

Hamid, Abdul, (1971), “Muslim Separatism in India, A brief survey 1857”,
Lahore: Oxford University Press
Jones, Rosie Llewellyn- (2007), , “The Great Uprising in India 1857-58:
Untold Stories; Indian and British”, Wiltshire: Boydell & Brewer
Merne, Cecil, (1922), “The Development of Self-Government in India, 1858-
1914”, Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
Nanda, S.P., (2003). “History of Modern India (1757-1947)”, New Delhi:
Dominant Publishers and Distributors,
Pati, Biswamoy, (2010). “The Great Rebellion of 1857 in India: Exploring
transgressions, contests and diversities”, ed. New York: Routledge.