The War of Independence (1857-1858), also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 or the Sepoy Mutiny, was a major uprising in the history of the British occupation of the subcontinent. In this article, we will take a look at the various factors that led to the rebellion as well as its repercussions in the later years.
The First War of Independence 1857 – What Happened?
Causes of the War of Independence
Consequences of The War for Independence
The First War of Independence 1857 – What Happened?
In 1857, the British East India Company introduced new cartridges, allegedly laced in cow and pig grease, in an attempt to keep the gunpowder within them dry. Once news of this development spread, however, it caused severe unrest amongst soldiers belonging to all regiments, mainly because to access the gunpowder, the paper covering of the cartridge had to be ripped apart using one’s teeth.
One particular incident stands out when nearly eighty-five soldiers belonging to the Bengal regiment of the British East India Company disobeyed a direct order to use the cartridges. The result was harsh punishment meted out to the soldiers, that too in front of their colleagues.
This ultimately led to widespread protests and outright rebellion with many Indians taking up arms against the British. While the revolt was eventually squashed by the British, thanks to their superior technology, strategy and techniques, this event continues to be upheld as a significant turning point in the history of the subcontinent’s independence and Indian Muslims’ struggle for a separate homeland.
Causes of the War of Independence
It is important not to view in isolation the strong religious sentiment both Hindu and Muslim sepoys had regarding the new cartridges. In truth, this development was the straw that finally broke the camel’s back; many other factors caused intense feelings of resentment and dissent amongst Indian soldiers, all of which eventually boiled over in the form of the 1857 revolt. These include:
Economic Exploitation
The aim of the British East India Company had always been to exploit the subcontinent for its resources as well as to protect British interests. This is why through many endeavours - discouraging Indian manufacturing for the sake of importing English goods; annexation of princely states that left many soldiers jobless combined with the confiscation of their ancestral lands; newer, harsher demands for revenue with virtually no relief and needless red tape – the British attempted to take advantage of the Indian territory with heedless abandon, thereby causing intense frustration amongst the locals.
Military Unrest
Before becoming the rulers of the subcontinent, the British East India Company was considered a trading partner looking to make significant investments in the subcontinent. This included the British Indian Army which consisted of well-trained, effectively armed and well-paid Indian officers. That changed once the British became the subcontinent’s rulers. Many developments – higher budget allocated to soldiers of European descent; rapidly growing communication gap between the Indian soldier and British officers (owing to the British Raj prohibiting their officers from marrying Indian women); rules and regulations that were seen as going against the religious sentiments of both Hindu and Muslim soldiers – ended up completely alienating Indian soldiers and building further resentment against them within the regiments.
Other factors
Other factors included rumours that the British were trying to encourage the spread of Christianity, the introduction of the European civil and criminal justice system which was seen as highly complex and formalized, the reservation of higher-grade offices for European classes only and overall racial discrimination, led to intense feelings of dissatisfaction amongst the locals, which further contributed towards the uprising.
Consequences of The War for Independence
Just as the factors leading towards the War of Independence played a pivotal role in the creation of India and Pakistan, its subsequent repercussions and consequences have also ultimately had a bearing on the futures of both nations as seen through the following.
Change of Rule
Following the uprising, the East India Company was shuttered and replaced with a new British government department, the India Office, as part of the Queen’s Proclamation of 1858, to handle the governance of India.
Changes in Military Policies
To prevent the occurrence of any such incident in the future, the native and European armies of the British Raj went through a complete overhaul. The Bengal army was replaced with new units consisting of Punjabi Muslims and Sikhs from Punjab, Pathans from the North-West Frontier Province and Gurkhas from Nepal. This was a deliberate attempt by the British to restrict Bengalis' entry into the post-1857 version of the British Indian army as they played an integral role in the rebellion.
Social and Cultural Changes
While on the one hand, efforts were made to appease the locals to not pave the way for another uprising, harsh punishments were meted out to those who were found to be disloyal to the British government. Besides mass executions of male members of families found to have betrayed the ruling elite, all their properties were confiscated and their standing reduced to that of poverty. This gave rise to fundamentalist groups in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, many of which are still active today.
Political and Administrative Changes
As mentioned above, for fear of not creating conditions that would give way to another mutiny, the British created channels for the locals to air whatever concerns they had with regard to governance. This was done through the establishment of local government institutions; a small experiment in terms of democratic empowerment that ultimately led to the adoption of full-fledged parliamentary democracy by all countries within the subcontinent.
Other Consequences
Another development involved the overhaul of the Indian bureaucracy; the best minds of the local population were recruited at a very young age and were given state-of-the-art training within the subcontinent and at Britain’s most prestigious educational institution, Cambridge. Once they entered British service, they acted as the eyes and ears of the British government on the ground, thus allowing them to successfully run the country.
Conclusion
All of the above factors, including an increase in Indian nationalism and a growing religious divide between Hindus and Muslims (which was increasingly exploited by the British for their own benefit) played a vital role in future events, namely the creation of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Studying the context within which these events took place will help students understand the events of today and help them ace their IGCSE & O Level Pakistan Studies exam.
Most Common Repeated Questions:
Unlock the secrets to acing your CAIE IGCSE & O Level exams with a sneak peek into the most frequently asked questions that have graced the past papers!
- 'The main reason the War of Independence ended was because it was not supported by all Indian rulers.' How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. (14) [May/June 2017, Oct/Nov 2023]
- 'A lack of unity and coordination was the main reason for the failure of the War of Independence by 1858.' Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. (14) [May/June 2004, 2010]
- 'The introduction of social reforms by the British, such as education, caused the War of Independence in 1857.' Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. (14) [Oct/Nov 2005]
- 'The establishment of English as the official language of the subcontinent in 1834 was the main reason for the War of Independence in 1857.' Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer. (14) [May/June 2007, Oct/Nov 2019]
- Why did the War of Independence of 1857 fail? (7) [Oct/Nov 2007, 2009, 2011][May/June 2019]
- 'Religious factors were more important than any other in causing the War of Independence of 1857-58.' Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. (14) [Oct/Nov 2008, May/June 2018]
- Was the greased cartridge incident the most important cause of the War of Independence of 1857? Explain your answer. (14) [May/June 2012]
- Describe the events of the War of Independence, 1857-58. (4) [May/June 2013]
- Was the introduction of the 'Doctrine of Lapse' in 1852 the most important reason for the War of Independence in 1857? Explain your answer. (14) [May/June 2014, 2020]
- To what extent were the different aims of Indian groups in 1857 the main reason why the War of Independence was short-lived? Explain your answer. (10) [Oct/Nov 2020]
- To what extent were the outcomes of the War of Independence beneficial for India? Explain your answer. (10) [May/June 2021]
FAQs
Q. What was the War of Independence in 1857?
The War of Independence in 1857, also known as the Indian Rebellion or Sepoy Mutiny, was a major uprising against British colonial rule in India.
Q. What were the causes of the War of Independence in 1857?
The causes included economic exploitation by the British East India Company, military unrest due to discriminatory policies, religious and social factors, and resentment against British rule.
Q. What were the consequences of the War of Independence in 1857?
Consequences included a change in governance from the East India Company to the India Office, military reforms, social and cultural changes, and political and administrative reforms.
Q. How did economic exploitation contribute to the War of Independence in 1857?
Economic exploitation, such as discouraging local industries and harsh revenue demands, led to job losses and resentment among the Indian population, contributing to the rebellion.
Q. What were the military reforms after the War of Independence in 1857?
The British revamped the army, limited Bengali entry, and recruited soldiers from different regions to prevent future uprisings.
Q. What were the social and cultural changes after the War of Independence in 1857?
Harsh punishments for rebels led to the rise of fundamentalist groups, while efforts to appease locals and establish governance channels resulted in political changes.
Q. How did the War of Independence in 1857 impact India's governance?
The rebellion led to changes in governance, including the establishment of local government institutions and restructuring of the Indian bureaucracy, paving the way for democratic empowerment.
Q. What role did religious and social factors play in the War of Independence in 1857?
Rumours of British attempts to spread Christianity, racial discrimination, and reserved high-grade offices for Europeans fueled dissatisfaction among the Indian population.
Q. Where can I learn more about the War of Independence in 1857 and related historical topics?
Enroll in courses like IGCSE & O Level Pakistan Studies History at www.out-class.org to learn from experienced educators about historical events such as the War of Independence and its significance.
