ICSE Class 10 History: First War of Independence 1857 — Notes

Causes of the Revolt of 1857

• Political: Doctrine of Lapse (Dalhousie); annexed Satara, Jhansi, Nagpur, Awadh — princes and nobles lost power and pension
• Military: 85 of 90 Enfield rifle cartridges greased with cow and pig fat; violated Hindu and Muslim religious sentiments; sparked mutiny
• Economic: heavy taxation, ruin of Indian handicraft industry, drain of wealth; Indian soldiers paid less than British

Immediate Cause and Outbreak

• Greased cartridges: sepoys had to bite cartridge paper before loading; Hindu (cow) and Muslim (pig) objections
• Mangal Pandey: March 29, 1857; refused to use cartridge at Barrackpore; attacked British officer; hanged April 8
• Meerut: May 10, 1857; 85 sepoys imprisoned for refusing cartridges; next day fellow soldiers freed them; march to Delhi

Major Centres and Leaders

• Delhi: Bahadur Shah Zafar (last Mughal emperor) declared symbolic leader; general Bakht Khan
• Lucknow (Awadh): Begum Hazrat Mahal, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah's wife; prolonged resistance
• Jhansi: Rani Laxmibai; fought heroically; killed in battle June 1858; 'Mardani' poem by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan

Course and Suppression

• Initial British reverses: Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur fell; severe fighting; British reinforcements arrived
• Delhi recaptured: September 20, 1857; Bahadur Shah Zafar captured, exiled to Rangoon; sons killed
• Lucknow: Havelock, Outram, Campbell recaptured finally March 1858; Rani Laxmibai died June 1858

Causes of Failure

• Lack of unity: only northern India; south, Bengal, Punjab not involved; Sikhs and Gurkhas fought for British
• No pan-India leadership: regional leaders; no coordination; communication poor
• Traditional weapons: poor military organisation vs well-equipped British forces; no unified military strategy

Results and Significance

• End of East India Company rule: Crown took over; Queen Victoria's Proclamation November 1858
• Army reorganised: ratio of Indian to British soldiers changed; Punjab soldiers recruited more
• Significance: first major organized revolt; 'First War of Independence' by V.D. Savarkar; seeds of nationalism planted

ICSE Exam Tips

• Causes: remember political + economic + military + social causes; ICSE often asks specific cause in detail
• Leaders and centres: list minimum 5 with correct regions; map question sometimes asks to locate centres
• Significance: short paragraph; why it matters in Indian independence history