Notes-Class 8-History-Chapter-4-The Freedom Struggle of 1857-Maharashtra Board

The Causes of Struggle of 1857 :

Economic Causes :

• New revenue system caused impoverishment of the peasants.
• Taxes were forcibly collected which resulted in collapse of agriculture system.
• The British imposed heavy taxes on local industries. This trade policy ruined the traditional industries and caused the loss of means of livelihood of the artisans.
• So, there was growing discontent in the minds of Indian artisans.

Social Causes :

• The Indians felt that Britishers were interfering in their culture, tradition and customs.
• Enactment of Prevention of Sati Act and Widow Remarriage Act was regarded by the people as an attempt to destroy their way of life.

So, they were dissatisfied.

Political Causes :

• The Britishers annexed many kingdoms in India from 1757 onwards.
• Lord Dalhousie annexed many princely states on the pretext of different reasons.
• Under the pretext of maladministration, the Nawab of Ayodhya was dethroned.
• Annexation of princely states of Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi through the Doctrine of Lapse.

Discontent among the Indian soldiers :

• Indian soldiers were given lower status than the British soldiers.
• They were denied position higher than the Subhedar.
• They were paid less salary and their allowances were gradually reduced.

Immediate Causes :

• In 1856, the British provided long range enfield rifles to the Indian soldiers.

• The soldiers were required to bite the end of the cartridges.
• The news that the covering of cartridges contained the fat of cows and pigs hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus as well as Muslim soldiers.

Leadership of the Struggle :

• In the freedom struggle of 1857 the descendant of Mughals, Bahadur Shah, was incapable of fighting against the British.
• Understanding the condition, Nanasaheb Peshwa (Kanpur), Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi and Tatya Tope (Kanpur) took up the charge of the freedom struggle of 1857.
• Its effect could be seen on the Hindu-Muslim unity in this struggle.
• Maulavi Ahmed Allah (Rohilkhand), Kunwar Singh(Bihar), Mughal commander Bakht Khan, Begum Hazrat Mahal (Ayodhya) led the revolt in various regions.

• The nature of revolt in Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, West Bihar was more fierce.

Crushing of the Struggle :

• The Indians fought bravely and whole heartedly against the British, including soldiers, zamindars, kings, commanders and common people.
• The Indian sepoys started the freedom struggle before the fixed time.

• Initially, the revolters succeeded.
• But, within six months the British recaptured most of the lost territories.
• They crushed the struggle by all means.
• Bahadur Shah was arrested and sent to prison at Rangoon.
• Rani Laxmibai, Kunwarsingh and Ahmedullah lost their lives on the battlefield.
• Nanasaheb and Begum Hazrat Mahal took shelter in Nepal.
• The resistance of Tatya Tope lasted for ten months. However, he was captured due to treachery and was hanged.
• Thus, the struggle was ruthlessly suppressed by the end of 1858.

Causes of failure of the Struggle :

The struggle of 1857 became unsuccessful due to the following reasons-

• The struggle was not comprehensive :The struggle did not take place all over India at once. Its intensity was more in North India whereas Rajputana, Punjab, some parts of Bengal and North West India remained aloof.
• Lack of leadership: There was lack of central leadership, coordination and no uniformity in struggle.
• Most of the feudatory princes remained aloof : The majority of the rulers of the Indian princely states and the educated Indians kept away from the struggle.
• Lack of military tactics : Indian soldiers were brave but lacked tactics and had limited arms.
• The British had unified leadership, experienced army generals, disciplined army, the latest weapons, economic strength and modem means of transport and communication.
• International situation was favourable to the British : The British had won the Crimean war and its naval strength was vast. They had trade relations with different countries in the world.

The provisions of the Proclamation :

• Nod discrimination on grounds of race, religion, caste and place of birth.
• Government jobs on the basis of merit.
• No interference in the religious affairs.
• Honouring all the treaties made with the Indian Princely states.
• No annexation of any state in future.

Lesson we learnt from the struggle of 1857 :

• Any challenge in front of the nation should be faced unitedly.
• Each and every member of the society should keep in mind that it two people or groups disagree or have difference in opinion there are chances of third party creating misunderstanding and taking advantage of it. We need to be careful with such tendencies.
• If the means to earn livelihood is taken away it creates discontent. Therefore, all should get means to earn livelihood.
• The division in army, government offices and business should not be based on caste, race and religion. It should be based on merit and equality.