When People Rebel 1857 and After

• Policies and People
  • Nawabs Lose Power
    • Loss of authority and honor
    • Disbanding of armies
    • Annexation of territories (e.g., Awadh in 1856)
  • The Peasants and Sepoys
    • High taxes and rigid revenue collection
    • Grievances of Indian sepoys regarding pay, allowances, and service conditions
    • Disrespect of religious beliefs and traditions (e.g., crossing the sea)
  • Responses to Reforms
    • British social reforms seen as a threat to religion
    • Abolition of Sati and promotion of female education
    • Introduction of the Religious Disabilities Act (1850) allowing conversion to Christianity
• A Mutiny Becomes a Popular Rebellion
  • Spark in Meerut
    • Introduction of the Enfield rifle and greased cartridges (cow and pig fat)
    • Refusal of sepoys to use the cartridges
    • Imprisonment of sepoys; revolt on May 10, 1857
  • From Meerut to Delhi
    • Sepoys march to Delhi and appeal to Bahadur Shah Zafar
    • Mughal emperor declared the leader of the revolt
  • Spread of the Rebellion
    • Mutinies in various cantonments (Bareilly, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi)
    • Participation of peasants, zamindars, and townspeople
    • Formation of parallel administrations against British rule
• The British Resistance (1857-1858)
  • Reinforcements from Britain
    • Passing of new laws to easily convict rebels
    • Moving troops back to India
  • Re-capturing Key Centers
    • Fall of Delhi in September 1857; Bahadur Shah Zafar exiled to Rangoon
    • Recapture of Lucknow (1858) and Jhansi
    • Defeat and death of Rani Laxmibai and Tatya Tope
  • Suppression Strategies
    • Use of military might combined with policy concessions
    • Rewarding loyal landholders (zamindars)
• Aftermath and Post-1857 Changes
  • Changes in Crown Rule
    • Transfer of power from East India Company to the British Crown (1858)
    • Appointment of a Viceroy as the personal representative of the Crown
  • Reorganizing the Army
    • Reduction of Indian soldiers' proportion in the army
    • Recruitment shifted to Gurkhas, Sikhs, and Pathans
  • Protecting Landlords and Property
    • Policies to protect zamindars and landlords and secure their rights over lands
  • Religious Tolerance and Non-Interference
    • Promise to respect the customary religious and social practices of Indians
    • Guarantee of non-interference in local religions