NCERT Solutions Class 8th History Chapter – 5 When People Rebel Notes – for example Why do people rebel, When did 1857 revolt end, Who was the first Indian soldier who revolted in 1857, What was the Revolt of 1857 short note, Was the Revolt of 1857 successful, Why is the Revolt of 1857 called the first, Why did the 1857 revolt fail, What was the first Revolt of 1857, What is the short note on Revolt of 1857 by brainly, What happened in 1857 revolt, How many died in 1857 revolt, Where did 1857 revolt start, What are the three causes of Revolt of 1857, What was the symbol of the revolt of 1857m, What were the two main economic causes of revolt of 1857
NCERT Solutions Class 8th History Chapter – 5 When People Rebel
Chapter – 5
When People Rebel
Notes
Nawabs lose their power – Nawabs and Rajas lost their powers to the East India Company. Residents stationed at Indian states worked effectively so that Indian states didn’t join against the East India Company. Negotiations were put down by the East India Company, which was aiming to rule Delhi.
Peasants and Sepoys – Peasants and zamindars lost their lands to the moneylenders as rate of revenue was excessively increased due to the new land revenue measures and they could not pay it. Indian sepoys were ill paid; their religious sentiments were hurt.
From Meerut to Delhi – Mangal Pandey was hanged on 29th April, 1857 for attacking his officer. On 9th May, 1857 sepoys at Meerut were imprisoned as they refused to use the infield rifle. On 10th May, 1857 army sepoys released their sepoy companions and killed British officers. The sepoys then captured guns and ammunitions and marched towards Delhi. The sepoys stationed at Delhi garrison welcomed the sepoys from Meerut. British officers were murdered. The victorious sepoys declared Bahadur Shah Zafar as the emperor of India. Zafar unwillingly blessed the rebels and appealed the rulers to form a confederacy against the British.
The rebellion spread – The rulers of the states saw it as an opportunity to settle their scores from the company and rose in revolt for the fulfilment of their selfish aims of regaining their territory from East India Company.
The Company fights back – The Company was determined to suppress the revolt with all its might. It passed laws to demoralise rebels and mobilised troops from all the states and reinforcement arrived from England. Delhi was recaptured and gradually other rebel states were also recaptured.
Aftermath – By 1859, British regained control over the rebels. Parliament put an end to the East India Company rule in India. Office of Secretary of State was created, which was to be advised by the Indian council. Thus, government took the responsibility directly.
The peasants and the sepoys – In the countryside, peasants and zamindars resented the high taxes and the rigid methods of revenue collection. Many failed to pay back their loans to the moneylenders and gradually lost the lands they had tilled for generations.
Responses to reforms – The British believed that Indian society had to be reformed. Laws were passed to stop the practice of sati and to encourage the remarriage of widows. English-language education was actively promoted. After 1830, the Company allowed Christian missionaries to function freely in its domain and even own land and property. In 1850, a new law was passed to make conversion to Christianity easier. This law allowed an Indian who had converted to Christianity to inherit the property of his ancestors. Many Indians began to feel that the British were destroying their religion, their social customs and their traditional way of life.
A Mutiny Becomes a Popular Rebellion – Though struggles between rulers and the ruled are not unusual, sometimes such struggles become quite widespread as a popular resistance so that the power of the state breaks down. A very large number of people begin to believe that they have a common enemy and rise up against the enemy at the same time. For such a situation to develop, people have to organise, communicate, take initiative and display the confidence to turn the situation around.
From Meerut to Delhi – On 8 April 1857, a young soldier, Mangal Pandey, was hanged to death for attacking his officers in Barrackpore. Some days later, some sepoys of the regiment at Meerut refused to do the army drill using the new cartridges, which were suspected of being coated with the fat of cows and pigs. Eighty-five sepoys were dismissed from service and sentenced to ten years in jail for disobeying their officers. This happened on 9 May 1857.
The response of the other Indian soldiers in Meerut was quite extraordinary. On 10 May, the soldiers marched to the jail in Meerut and released the imprisoned sepoys. They attacked and killed British officers. They captured guns and ammunition and set fire to the buildings and properties of the British and declared war on the firangis. The soldiers were determined to bring an end to their rule in the country. But who would rule the land instead? The soldiers had an answer to this question – the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.
The rebellion spreads – After the British were routed from Delhi, there was no uprising for almost a week. It took that much time for news to travel. Then, a spurt of mutinies began.
The Company Fights Back – Unnerved by the scale of the upheaval, the Company decided to repress the revolt with all its might. It brought reinforcements from England, passed new laws so that the rebels could be convicted with ease, and then moved into the storm centres of the revolt. Delhi was recaptured from the rebel forces in September 1857. The last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried in court and sentenced to life imprisonment. He and his wife Begum Zinat Mahal were sent to prison in Rangoon in October 1858. Bahadur Shah Zafar died in the Rangoon jail in November 1862.
Aftermath – The British had regained control of the country by the end of 1859, but they could not carry on ruling the land with the same policies any more. Given below are the important changes that were introduced by the British.
(i) The British Parliament passed a new Act in 1858 and transferred the powers of the East India Company to the British Crown in order to ensure a more responsible management of Indian affairs. A member of the British Cabinet was appointed Secretary of State for India and made responsible for all matters related to the governance of India. He was given a council to advise him, called the India Council. The Governor-General of India was given the title of Viceroy, that is, a personal representative of the Crown. Through these measures, the British government accepted direct responsibility for ruling India.
(ii) All ruling chiefs of the country were assured that their territory would never be annexed in future. They were allowed to pass on their kingdoms to their heirs, including adopted sons. However, they were made to acknowledge the British Queen as their Sovereign Paramount. Thus the Indian rulers were to hold their kingdoms as subordinates of the British Crown.
(iii) It was decided that the proportion of Indian soldiers in the armywould be reduced and the number of European soldiers would be incr eased. It was also decided that instead of recruiting soldiers from Awadh, Bihar, central India and south India, more soldiers would be recruited from among the Gurkhas, Sikhs and Pathans.
(iv) The land and property of Muslims was confiscated on a large scale and they were treated with suspicion and hostility. The British believed that they were responsible for the rebellion in a big way.
(v) The British decided to respect the customary religious and social practices of the people in India.
(vi) Policies were made to protect landlords and zamindars and give them security of rights over their lands.
Mutiny – When soldiers together begin to disobey their officers in the army.
Firangis – Foreigners, Here, the term has been used for the Englishmen.
Ghazis – Religious warriors
Paramount – Supreme
1849 – Governor – General Dalhousie announced that after the death of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the family of the king would be shifted out of the Red Fort and given another place in Delhi to reside in.
1856 – (i) Governor-General Canning decided that Bahadur Shah Zafar would be the last Mughal king and after his death his descendants would be recognised as princes.
(ii) The Company passed a new law which stated that every new person who took up employment in the Company’s army had to agree to serve overseas if required.
29 March 1857 – Mangal Pandey, a young soldier, was hanged to death for attacking his officers in Barrackpore. May 1857 -Sepoys mutinied in several places.
10 May 1857 – Sepoys rushed to Delhi from Meerut.
September 1857 – Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar along with his wife was sent to prison in Rangoon.
October 1858 – A new Act passed by the British Parliament transferred the powers of the East India Company to the British Crown.
