Question

In which year did the First War of Independence take place?

Answer 1

Hint: This war is also called the Indian Insurrection or the Great Rebellion. The war lasted for two years and two months.

Complete answer:
The first war of Independence took place in 1857 and is also called the Revolt of 1857. It was a major uprising in India during 1857-58, but it was ultimately unsuccessful. It was fought against the British East India Company which worked on behalf of the British Government.

The war commenced on 10th May 1857 in Meerut. The rebellion was due to the accumulation of many factors, rather than a single event. The infamous Enfield Rifle was a major cause in creating unrest between the Hindus and Muslims in India. The cartridges were rumored to be greased with tallow from beef and lard from pork, the use of which was offensive to both Hindus and Muslims respectively.

Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was proclaimed as the Emperor of the whole of India by all the Kings and regiments. The largest uprising took place in Meerut in the initial stages of the war. In Kanpur, Nana Saheb expelled the British from his city and proclaimed himself as peshwa. The most famous female warrior queen, Rani Laxmibai, was also active during this revolt from the city of Jhansi. The war ended when the British captured Delhi on 20th September 1858.

Note:
i) The revolt of 1857 failed because it lacked an ‘All-India Participation’. It was majorly an uprising in the northern regions of India and the eastern, southern and western parts of India remained unaffected.
ii) Also, the Indian soldiers were poorly armed with swords and spears and very few guns. The British on the other hand had the latest weapons like the Enfield rifle.
iii) Lastly, the revolt was poorly organized with no central leadership or coordination.