When People Rebel

1857 and After

(Solutions)

Let's Recall

1. What was the demand of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi that was refused by the British?
Answer: Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi wanted the East India Company to recognise her adopted son (Damodar Rao) as the heir to the kingdom after the death of her husband. This demand was refused by the British.

2. What did the British do to protect the interests of those who converted to Christianity?

Answer: In 1850, a new law allowed an Indian who had converted to Christianity to inherit property of his ancestors. This law made it easier to convert to Christianity.

3. What objections did the sepoys have to the new cartridges that they were asked to use?
Answer: The new cartridges were suspected of being coated with the fat of cows and pigs. Both Hindus and Muslim sepoys were offended by the introduction of these cartridges. Their religious sentiments were affected. This was the reason they refused to use the cartridges.
4. How did the last Mughal emperor live the last years of his life?
Answer: The last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar spent the last years of his life in a jail in Rangoon along with his wife.

Let's Discuss

5. What could be the reasons for the confidence of the British rulers about their position in India before May 1857?
Answer: The reasons for the confidence of the British rulers were:

1. There were several riots, rebellion and revolts which occurred before May, 1857. But all these were localized and were suppressed by the British then and there.
2. In the mid 18th century, the powers of Nawabs, rajas, zamindars etc. were eroded. The freedom of the Indian rulers was reduced, their armed forces were disbanded, and their revenue and territories were taken by stages.
3. The Mughal Emperor had lost its control over the provinces. The traditional rulers fought among themselves and could not present a united front against a powerful foreign rule.
4. Residents had been stationed in many courts by the British as their representatives. These residents kept informing the governors about the important developments in every kingdom.
5. Indian princes and chiefs whom the British had allowed to continue used to side with the British during revolts before May, 1857.

5. What impact did Bahadur Shah Zafar's support to the rebellion have on the people and the ruling families?

Answer: The revolt of 1857 started only when Bahadur Shah Zafar, gave his permission. His support for the revolt made leaders from various places become confident about opposing the British. Zafar asked all the leaders to form a confederacy to fight against the British. Many small, large kingdoms, rulers and chieftains supported the revolt after Bahadur Shah Zafar extended his support to the revolt. Hence, his support for the rebellion had a widespread effect on the people and the ruling families.

6. How did the British succeed in securing the submission of the rebel landowners of Awadh?
Answer: The British succeed in securing the submission of the rebel landowners of Awadh by adopting various methods such as:

1. They announced reward for loyal landowners.
2. They were assured that they would be allowed to continue to enjoy traditional rights over their lands.
3. Those who had rebelled were told that if they submitted to the British, and if they had not killed any white people, will be pardoned.

7. In what ways did the British change their policies as a result of the rebellion of 1857?
Answer: After the revolt of 1857, the British Crown directly took over the Indian administration. The powers of the East India Company were transferred to the Crown. The following changes were made:

1. Doctrine of Lapse policy was abolished.
2. The number of Indian sepoys was reduced in the army, so that in future they would not be able to rebel against the British.
3. Zamindars’ and landowners’ rights were further enhanced.
4. The Crown promised that it would not interfere with the religion of the people.
5. A Viceroy and a Secretary of the state were appointed for the administration of Indian society.