Quick Revision Notes: Class 8 Social Science

Chapter: When People Rebel 1857 and After

### Concept 1: Policies and the People (1857 and After)

During the first half of the 19th century, British policies in India affected different sections of society—kings, peasants, landlords, tribals, soldiers, and the common people.

• Policies Affecting Nawabs and Rulers:

  • Power and authority of Nawabs and Rajas gradually eroded.
  • Residents were stationed in many courts; freedom of rulers was reduced, armed forces disbanded, and revenue/territories taken away.
  • Doctrine of Lapse: Introduced by Lord Dalhousie. If an Indian ruler died without a male heir, his kingdom would "lapse" and become part of company territory. (e.g., Satara, Sambalpur, Udaipur, Nagpur, Jhansi).
  • End of Mughal Dynasty: The Company planned to end the Mughal dynasty. The name of the Mughal king was removed from coins minted by the Company. In 1849, Governor-General Dalhousie announced that after Bahadur Shah Zafar's death, the family would be shifted out of the Red Fort.

• Policies Affecting Peasants and Sepoys:

  • High Revenue Demands: In the countryside, peasants and zamindars resented the high taxes and rigid methods of revenue collection.
  • Sepoys (Indian Soldiers): Discontent grew among Indian soldiers in the Company’s army due to low pay, allowances, and conditions of service. Some new rules violated their religious sensibilities and beliefs (e.g., crossing the sea).

• Responses to Reforms:

  • The British passed laws to stop practices like Sati and to encourage remarriage of widows. English-language education was actively promoted.
  • In 1850, a new law made it easier to convert to Christianity, allowing converts to inherit property from their ancestors. This made Indians feel the British were destroying their religion and social customs.

### Concept 2: A Mutiny Becomes a Popular Rebellion

A mutiny becomes a popular rebellion when thousands of people rise up against the system simultaneously. In May 1857, a massive rebellion started, threatening the Company's very presence in India.

• The Spark (The Enfield Rifles):
  • New cartridges were introduced in the army, which were rumored to be coated with the fat of cows and pigs.
  • Both Hindu and Muslim sepoys were outraged as this hurt their religious sentiments.
• Mangal Pandey:
  • On 29 March 1857, a young sepoy named Mangal Pandey was hanged to death for attacking his officers in Barrackpore.
• The Outbreak at Meerut:
  • In May 1857, sepoys in Meerut refused to do the army drill using the new cartridges.
  • Eighty-six sepoys were dismissed and sentenced to 10 years in jail.
  • On 10 May 1857, the soldiers marched to the Meerut jail, released the imprisoned sepoys, and attacked British officers.
• March to Delhi:
  • The soldiers rode all night to Delhi. The regiments stationed in Delhi also rebelled.
  • They declared the aging Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, as their leader. Zafar accepted the demand and wrote letters to all chiefs and rulers of India to confederate and form an organization to fight the British.

### Concept 3: Spread of the Rebellion

From Delhi, the rebellion spread rapidly to other parts of northern and central India.

• Key Leaders and Centers:
  • Delhi: Bahadur Shah Zafar and General Bakht Khan.
  • Kanpur: Nana Saheb (adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II).
  • Lucknow: Begum Hazrat Mahal and her young son, Birjis Qadir.
  • Jhansi: Rani Lakshmibai, who joined forces with Tantia Tope (general of Nana Saheb).
  • Bihar (Arrah): Kunwar Singh, an old zamindar.
• Popular Participation: Not just sepoys, but ordinary people—peasants, artisans, townspeople—joined the revolt. Local leaders emerged across towns and villages.

### Concept 4: British Response and Suppression

The British fought back with fierce determination to regain control of the country.

• Reinforcements: The British brought in troops from England and passed new laws to convict rebels easily.
• Recapturing Centers:
  • Delhi was recaptured from the rebels in September 1857. Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried in court and sentenced to life imprisonment. He and his wife were sent to Rangoon in 1858, where he died in 1862.
  • Lucknow was taken back in March 1858.
  • Rani Lakshmibai was defeated and killed in battle in June 1858. Tantia Tope escaped into the jungles of central India, fought guerrilla warfare, but was eventually captured, tried, and killed in April 1859.
• Policy of Repression: The British used a mix of military might, concessions to loyal landlords, and brutal punishments (hanging rebels from the gallows or blowing them from cannons) to crush the rebellion.

### Concept 5: Aftermath: Changes after 1857

The British changed their policies significantly after the 1857 revolt to ensure such an uprising never happened again.

1. Transfer of Power (Government of India Act 1858):
   • The powers of the East India Company were transferred directly to the British Crown (Queen Victoria).
   • A member of the British Cabinet was appointed Secretary of State for India to govern India, assisted by a council called the India Council.
   • The Governor-General of India was given the title of Viceroy (the personal representative of the Crown).
2. Protection of Princely States:
   • Ruling chiefs of the country were assured that their territories would never be annexed in the future. They were allowed to pass on their kingdoms to their heirs, including adopted sons. However, they had to hold their kingdoms as subordinates of the British Crown (Queen Victoria became Empress of India in 1877).
3. Reorganization of the Army:
   • The proportion of Indian soldiers in the army was reduced, and the number of European soldiers was increased.
   • Soldiers were recruited more from among the Gurkhas, Sikhs, and Pathans rather than from Awadh, Bihar, Central India, and south India.
4. Protection of Religion and Property:
   • The British decided to respect the customary religious and social practices of the people of India.
   • Policies were made to protect landlords and zamindars and give them security of rights over their lands.
5. New Phase of History: A new phase of history began after 1857, leading eventually to the Indian National Movement in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Important Key Terms (महdतपूर्ण शब्द)

• Mutiny (विद्रोह): When soldiers as a group disobey their officers in the army.
• Viceroy (वायसराय): A royal official who runs a country, province, or colony as the representative of the monarch.
• Firangis (फिरंगी): A term used by Indians to refer to foreigners, particularly the British (derived from 'Frank').
• Paramountcy (सर्वोच्चता): The supreme power or authority held by the British Crown over Indian states.
• Guerrilla Warfare (छापामार युद्ध): A form of irregular warfare where small groups of combatants use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, and raids.