S.

Shingara Singh
(S.S Master)
 The Revolt of 1857
• The year 1857 hold a great importance in
the history of India. In this year there was
a major revolt in India which shook the
very foundation of the Company”s rule in
India and sealed its fate for ever.
Uprising of 1857
 Political causes
1. Lord Dalhousie annexed Satara,Jhansi,
Nagpur and many other states by the
Doctrine of Lapse.
2. The annexation of Oudh by Lord
Dolhousie threw thousand of nobles,
gentlemen, officers and soldiers out of
job.The British provided no alternative
employment to them.
3. The administration was corrupt and
ineffecient.
 Social and Religious Causes
• The English also began to interfere in the
social life of the people: (1) The practice of
Sati was abolished. Widow-remarriage
was legalised. (2) The government taxed
land belonging to temples and mosques of
charitable istitutoins.(3) The Spread of
western culture and education gave a
blow to the honour and influence of the
Pandits and Maulvis.
 Economic Causes
• The British exploited the economic
resources of India and enriched
themselves at the cost of the Indians.
They carriad away India’s wealth to their
country.(2) They subordinated the Indian
economy to the interests of British trade
and industry. (3) Only The English were
appointed to the high posts and were
given handsome salaries. The educated
Indians were not given executive posts.
 Millitary Causes
1. There were no fellow feelings between
the English and Indian soldiers.Indian
soldiers were considered inferior to the
English soldiers .They had helped the
English ,who establish their empire in
India but were treated with contempt by
their British officers.
 Millitary Causes cntd.
1. The Indian sepoys were not given
handsome salaries .No Indian could rise
higher than a Subedar.
2. In 1856 General Service Enlistment act
was passed under which every new
recruit undertook to serve overseas .
3. The Bengal Army consisted mostly of
soldiers from Oudh.The annexatioun of
Oudh sent a wave of recentment among
the people and inflame their feelings.
 Immediate Causes
• A new type of rifle was introduced in the
Army greased cartridges were to be used
in them.Before fitting them into the
rifles,the soldiers had to bite the end of the
cartridges with their teeth. A rumour
spread that they were greased with the fat
of the cow and the pig.Both the Hindu and
the Muslim sepoys were enraged and they
thought that the English Govt. wanted to
defile their religions.The Indian soldiers
believed that the time to strike had come.
Mangal Pandey
 Main events of the Revolt
The revolt started from Barrackpore in
Bengal .A brahman sepoy named Mangal
Pande ,refused to use the greased
cartridges and killed two English officers
.He was hanged. This resulted in a
general uprising in Meerut ,Delhi, Kanpur,
Lucknow and Jhansi etc.
Main Centres of Revolt of 1857
 Meerut
• About 85 sepoys refused to use the
greased cartridges and They were
dismissed and sentenced to 10 years
imprisonment.Next morning their
companions revolted ,killed the officeres
attacked the jail and released the
prisioners.
 Delhi
• The Meerut soldiers set fire to the
bungalows of the English and set of for
Delhi .The local Infantry joined them.They
killed their officers and captured the
city.Bahadur Shah was declared the
Emoeror of India.Sikh soldiers from
Punjab and ultimately succeeded in
recapturing Delhi in Sept.
1857.Thousands of people and soldiers
were put to death under the supervision of
General Neil.
 Delhi cntd.
• Bahadur Shah was also caught and
sentenced to the life imprisonment and
deported to Rangoon where he died in
1862.His 2 sons were shot dead before
his very eyes.
Bahadur Shah Zafar
 Kanpur
• At Kanpur,Nana Sahib ,the adopted son of
Peshwa Baji Rao ,led the Revolt.He was a
brave and determined general.
NANA SAHIB
 Lucknow
• The revolt at Lucknow was led by the
Begum of Oudh .She organised an all-out
attack on the British and beseiged the Sir
Henry Lawrence and other English Men in
the residency.Sir Henry Lawrence was
shot dead.General Havlock came to
rescue them but failed to do so and lost a
large no. of soldiers.Atv last Sir collin
campbell reached there with more
reinforcements. He defeated the rebels
and captured Lucknowin 1858.
 Central India
• The rebels in central India were led by a
brave and patriotic lady Rani Lakshmi Bai
of Jhansi .She was joined by the valiant
General Tantye Tope.She fought gallantly
but Jhansi was captured by th English with
the help of some traitors .The Rani fled
towards Kalpi.The English general Sir
Hugh Rose followed her.Both the Rani
and Tantya topye then fell upon Gwalior
and seized it from Scindia.
RANI IN THE BATTLE FIELD
 Central India cntd.
The Rani died fighting on the battle field .
Tantya Tope fled away.He was caught
,tried and hanged.With their deaths the
great rising of 1857 came to an dead.
Rani Laxmi Bai
 Causes of the failure of Revolt
1857
1. The Revolt was not wide spread.It could not
embrace the entire country and become an
all India struggle.Sindh ,Rajputana
,Kashmir,East Beangal and the most of the
Punjab did not take part in it.
2. The Revolt was a national movement but it
lacked unity.
3. The Sikh ,Rajput and Gurkha battalions
remained loyal and helped the British to
suppress the Revolt.
4. The leaders of the Revolt were not good
General.
 Result of the Revolt
1. The Governce of the Company ended in
India by an Act passed by the British
Parliament in August 1858.The rule of
India was transferred to the British crown
and Parliament.
2. This act was also abolished the rule by
British East India company through
Board of directors and the Board of
control.
 Result of the Revolt cntd.
1. A minister in the British Cabinet was
made responsible for the administration
of India.He was known as the Secretary
of state for India.
2. Last but not the least the Revolt of the
1857 was undoubtedly a great struggle
of the Indian people for freedom from
British imperialism.It aroused national
feelings among the peoples.It served as
a source of Inspiration in the later
struggle for freedom and consequently
India won freedom in 1947.
 Special Thanks To:
• Mrs. Swaranjit Kaur
• Miss Kiranjeet Kaur