Question

Explain the political and economic causes for the revolt of 1857.

Answer 1

Hint: The 1857 revolt was an instance of the first organised rebellion against the British East India Company. Although it was a major turn point, it was not successful. It began as a mutiny among the sepoys in Meerut. The Sepoys in Bengal rebelled against their British officers. The revolt is also described as the Sepoy Mutiny or the Great War of Independence.

Complete answer: The Revolt of 1857 made clear of the British oppression that was carried out on the Indians. It was very clear that the British had come to take advantage of India’s resources. It began on 10th May 1857. The revolt was started by the sepoys under Bengal Presidency against their British superiors. The leaders of the revolt of 1857 were important people from the royal families like Nana Saheb, Rani Laxmi Bai and Tantiya Tope.
The rebellion was started when a sepoy named Mangal Pandey attacked a British sergeant and injured his assistant in Barrackpore. Mangal Pandey was ordered to be arrested but he refused. He was later hanged. On the same day in Meerut, the cavalry was doing parades and broke ranks and freed the soldiers of the 3rd regiment. The political and economic causes of the revolt were:
1. Political causes: The British rule in India had led to the creation of unjust laws and loss of power of the nawabs and zamindars. The British policy like the subsidiary alliance and indirect subordination which was known as the doctrine of lapse was very unfair.
2. Economic factors: Due to these factors the peasants were heavily under taxation and other revenue systems which were imposed upon them unwillingly.

Note: The revolt of 1857 ended the rule of the British East India Company in India and placed India directly under the British government. India was to be ruled indirectly by the representatives of the British government. The main reasons of failure of the sepoy mutiny were: the rebellion lacked a good leader, there was no plan as to what would happen after the British were defeated, entire India was not affected and not everyone took part in the revolt.