What was the cause of Indian Rebellion?

Question 1

How did Raychaudhuri see Indian rebellion?

Answer 1

As ‘great’

Question 2

Impact of rebellion on British Empire

Answer 2

Seen as existential threat to Empire

Question 3

Other names for ‘Indian Mutiny’

Answer 3

‘Great rebellion’
‘First war of independence’

Question 4

Why did Sepoys in Indian army do in 1857?

Answer 4

After refusing to bite cartridges before loading them into Enfield Rifle because they were said to contain cow and pig grease

Question 5

Why did Sepoys in Indian army refuse to bite cartridges of Enfield Rifle?

Answer 5

Due to religious reasons as the cow is sacred to Hindus and pig is considered as unclean for Muslims

Question 6

Economic reasons for outbreak of rebellion

Answer 6

Underlaying economic grievances

Question 7

What was India progressively filled with (outbreak of rebellion)?

Answer 7

Cheap British goods

Question 8

British property developers (outbreak of rebellion)

Answer 8

British property developers bought up land, introduced a landlord system and imposed high rents

Question 9

Indian exporters of goods (outbreak of rebellion)

Answer 9

Received very low prices for their products

Question 10

What was greatly resented in India before outbreak of rebellion?

Answer 10

Territorial expansion

Question 11

What policy causes concern for Indians?

Answer 11

Westernisation

Question 12

Feelings of Indians before outbreak of rebellion

Answer 12

Felt they were being forced to accept ‘Alien’ culture.
Felt British ignored their feelings

Question 13

Beginning of rebellion - May 1858

Answer 13

Sepoys in Meerut (outside Delhi) rose against their British officers and killed number of them

Question 14

What did Sepoys take control of after original uprising?

Answer 14

Many northern cities

Question 15

Who joined the Sepoys?

Answer 15

Discontented landowners, peasants and anyone who lost under British rule

Question 16

What were the major battles fought during rebellion?

Answer 16

Delhi, Cawnpore and Lucknow

Question 17

What massacre caused outrage in Britain?

Answer 17

Massacre of 200 British women and children at Cawnpore

Question 18

Result of Cawnpore massacre

Answer 18

70,000 new troops sent to India - British gave swift and brutal revenge

Question 19

Who remained loyal to British through rebellion?

Answer 19

Gurkhas, Sikhs and Pathan regiments

Question 20

What battle reasserted British rule?

Answer 20

Battle of Gwailor in June 1858

Question 21

When was peace declared?

Answer 21

8th July 1858

Question 22

British reasons for rebellion being defeated

Answer 22

-Britain had much more superior weapons and resources
-Britain had reinforcements

Question 23

Indian reasons for defeat of rebellion

Answer 23

-Indian rebels didn’t get as much support as they had hoped for
-Indian rebels had weak naval power compared to British
-Indian rebels didn’t have clear aim or long term plan with rebellion

Question 24

Results of rebellion for East India Company

Answer 24

Control ended

Question 25

British army results of Rebellion

Answer 25

Sepoy units more closely supervised and sepoys treated with greater respect

Question 26

Results of British rule in India after rebellion

Answer 26

Total British rule from now