rebellion Flashcards
Modernising reforms
Indian railroads constructed, telegraph line and penny post introduced. Ganges canal to irrigate huge parts of central India. Doctrine of lapse
Negative attitudes towards dalhousies modernising reforms
Steam trains and ships ungodly. short term investment costs put strain on taxation system. Communications systems threatened jatis and businesses. Boatmen put out of haulage business, farmers challenged as cheaper imports from elsewhere in india or further, british mass imports cheaper and more effectively than locals could.- strain caused by more efficient measures
Armys resentment of dalhousies reforms
Soldiers had to learn how to work with new equipment and tactics, with expansion of empire solidiers were having to go further and further from home. Expeditions in burma middle east required soldiers to go over water, this meant loss of caste for brahmin.
Annexation of awadh
- Nawib Wajid Ali Shah, conformed to british prejudices. Traditional training ground of bengal army sepoys, land taken from all talkudars unable to prove legal title to their estates. Destabilised social order aa had large retinues of relations w servants living with them
Outbreak of rebellion in meerut
cartridges lubricated with animal fat. bengal army already in unrest due to General Service Enlistment Act 1856 which now meant brahmin couldnt refuse to march due to waters. Canning wanted to rectify it as an anomaly. Only for new sepoys but still fear, recruitment drew from mainly brahmins anyways. following court martial of 85 sepoys refusing to load rifles in meerut 9 may 1857- all 3 sepoy regiments rose in revolt, massacred local europeans.
Cawnpore and Dehli
general revolt spreading thru gangetic plain. Talukdars joined against british who had familial links w sepoys. Bahadur shah ii last of mughal dynasty restored. Cawnpore , Sir hugh wheeler surrendered after 18 days, remaining british mostly 200 women and children executed b4 relief came.
Siege and relief of Lucknow
Governor sir Henry Lawrence, hold out for 5 months. Successful relief of over 3000 l, six british infantry batallions and one sikh batallion. Evacuated by campbell due to volatility and stretched supply lines, not retaken until march 1858.
Why British retained control
rebels not cohesive force: All local unwilling to form national revolt centres of revolt each had own centre of power w two muslim leaders and one hindu maratha, could take little by little. Other two presidency armies stayed loyal. Punjab sepoys held grudge against bengal sepoys. In lucknow half of the 7000 soldiers who sought refuge in residency were indian soldiers and camp followers
