Question

What were the causes of the Sepoy Rebellion in northern and central India?

Answer 1

Hint: In 1857–59, the Indian Mutiny, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Independence, was a massive revolt against British rule in India. It began in Meerut and extended to Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, and Lucknow, with Indian troops (sepoys) in the British East India Company's service.

Complete answer:
- The problem of new gunpowder cartridges for the Enfield rifle in February 1857 ignited a revolt in several sepoy companies of the Bengal army. Many sepoys claimed the greased cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat, and loading the Enfield frequently involved ripping open the greased cartridge with one's teeth.
- This would have been offensive to both Hindu and Muslim religious traditions, as cows are sacred to Hindus and pigs are unclean to Muslims.
- The sepoy mutineers' resentment was fuelled by underlying concerns over British taxes and recent land annexations by the British East Indian Company (BEIC), and within weeks, hundreds of Indian army units joined peasant armies in widespread revolt. The old rulers, both Muslim and Hindu, rebelled against British rule as their dominance was slowly undermined by the BEIC.
- Another point of dissatisfaction among the Indian rulers was the fact that British conquest policies had caused considerable unrest. The BEIC had instituted a "doctrine of lapse" (in Indian leadership succession) and a "subsidiary coalition" policy in the decade leading up to the revolt, all of which stripped many Indian rulers of their traditional powers and privileges.

Note: The revolt proved to be a significant turning point in the development of the Indian and British empires. The Government of India Act 1858 compelled the British to reorganise the army, financial structure, and administration in India, resulting in the collapse of the East India Company.