The Revolt of 1857: Cause and Effect – CBSE/ICSE/NCERT

Cause and Effect of the 1857 Rebellion

The Revolt of 1857 Cause and Effect  : The 1857 Rebellion was a watershed moment in the British treatment of Indians. The Indians were enraged at the Whites’ mistreatment and misbehavior against them. The fundamental issue with Britishers was that they came to India solely to exploit the country’s resources, which were hardly visible to the Indian authorities at the time. However, when the locals became more aware of their land’s fate, they fought back hard against the British.

What were the main causes of Revolt of 1857?

1857 Rebellion: Causes

The causes of 1857 Rebellion are as follows:

1.Religious & Social Causes of Revolt of 1857

Racism, or racial discrimination, was a vital cause of the 1857 insurrection, in which Indians got exploited and prohibited from interacting with Europeans. Whites began interfering with Indians’ religious and cultural issues and tormenting them.

2.Political Causes of Revolt of 1857

The British expansion had resulted in the proliferation of discriminatory practices, leading to the loss of power of the Nawabs and Zamindars across India. Unfair policies like trade and commerce policy, indirect subordination policy, war and annexation policy, specific subordination policy, and misgovernance policy severely hindered the desires of native state rulers. Therefore, they became targets of British expansionism individually. As a result, monarchs who had lost their nations to the British were naturally anti-British and rallied with the rebels.

3.Economic Causes of Revolt of 1857

1. 1. Heavy Taxation resulted in widespread poverty and misery, and peasants harbored animosity toward British control. The sepoys were also former peasants in uniform who sympathized with farmers’ conditions.
   2. Destruction of traditional industries: To the detriment of Indian craftspeople, the business manipulated prices. The artisans were obliged to sell their wares to the British at its stipulated pricing. The advent of low-cost machine-produced items from Britain made Indian artisans’ wares unprofitable. Due to this, the British policy of one-way free trade and discriminatory tariffs discouraged Indian handcraft and encouraged British goods, destroying the old handicraft sector. The collapse of the sector put further strain on agriculture and land.
   3. Protectionist policies:  Britain adopted a protectionist policy towards their industries against the Indian Industries; this included discriminatory tariffs, concessions, and favorable treatment towards British industries.
   4. Destruction of Indian Agriculture: Farmers were unable to invest in the progress of their crops due to exorbitant rates of land revenue, resulting in lower output. Peasants in India got pushed to produce commercial crops instead of food crops, resulting in a severe famine. Between 1770 and 1857, probably 12 major and minor famines occurred.
   5. Permanent Settlement System: The peasants’ land rights got granted to Zamindars, deeming them landowners. Furthermore, the assessment rates were exorbitantly expensive and predatory.
   6. Resentment among Zamindars: The Zamindars remained under British rule, and the Company retained the original owner of the property, with the ability to sell it to the highest bidder. By utilizing quo-warranto against Zamindars, Britishers frequently forfeited their privileges. As a result, their status got revoked.

4. Military Causes of Revolt of 1857

In terms of salary, pensions, and promotions, Indian soldiers encountered much prejudice from British officials. Indians got treated as second-class citizens in the military, but their European counterparts were not. It sparked resentment and served as a significant military component in the 1857 rebellion.

What were the causes of the failure of 1857 revolt?

1857 Rebellion: Reasons of Failure

Due to a number of causes, the rebellion did not succeed in driving the British out of the nation.

1. Military Reasons
   1. The organization of the British army was better.
   2. The troops had enormous supplies.
   3. The rebels were running short of supplies and outmoded ammunition.
2. Ideological Reasons
   1. There was no participation from all sections (Princess and educated classes). Some even believed that British rule was beneficial to Indian civilization.
   2. The insurrection was viewed as backward and brutal by the educated elite.
   3. The rebels offered no alternative to feudalism (the zamindari system).
3. Administrative Reasons
   1. There was no planning among the rebels, therefore it was an unstructured insurrection.
   2. Because the insurrection lacked a clear leader, the adequate direction was impossible to obtain.
   3. The insurrection arose only in the Northern Plains, and it was unable to gain support from the rest of the state.

What were the effects of 1857 revolt?

1857 Rebellion: Impact

1. The uprising of 1857 rattled the British East India Company’s foundations and exposed the company’s ineptitude in managing Indian governance.
2. The implementation of the Government of India Act, 1858, which ended the British East India Company’s authority, had a huge influence.
3. This was the start of the British Raj, which gave the British government the right to control India directly through representatives.

What was the immediate cause for the revolt of 1857 ?

1857 Rebellion: Immediate Reason

The instant cause was the mandatory use of the ‘Enfield’ rifle. The cartridge had to get bitten off before being inserted into the gun. According to the Indian sepoys, the cartridge got lubricated with either pig or cow fat. It was in harm of Hindu and Muslim sentiments. As a result, they were apprehensive about using the ‘Enfield’ weapon. The troops were enraged at the British. Therefore this was a flashpoint. It was said to be the catalyst for the 1857 Rebellion.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

List some important leaders of the 1857 Rebellion and mention their place of revolt alongside.

List of Important Leaders Associated with the Revolt of 1857 –

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