Causes of First War of Indian Independence 1857 | KPSC KAS Preparation: All subjects - KPSC KAS (Karnataka) PDF Download

 Page 1


 
   
 
  
Lord Canning (1856-1862) became the Governor General of India in 1856. 
The First War of Indian Independence or the Great Revolt of 1857. The Indian soldiers in the East 
India Company’s army rebelled against the British in 1857. The English historians have painted 
this revolt as a mutiny of the sepoys. But the Indian historians describe it as the First war of Indian 
Independence.  
? Sir John Lawrence was of the opinion that the Revolt was purely a military outbreak, and 
not a conspiracy to overthrow British rule 
? Indian scholars, especially by Vir Savarkar called it as the First War of Indian Independence 
It is also known as the Great Revolt of 1857. Lord Canning was the Governor-General of India at 
that time. The causes of the Great Revolt were many. They may be classified as political, 
administrative, economic, social, religious, military and immediate causes. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Political Causes 
The annexation policy of British was one of the major causes. The terms of the Subsidiary treaties 
signed by Wellesley with different rulers were never honoured unless it suited the British 
interests.  
The Doctrine of Lapse introduced by Dalhousie led to the outright annexation of eight states. Nana 
Saheb lost his pension. Rani of Jhansi was not permitted to adopt a son. They turned against the 
  
MODERN INDIAN HISTORY
 
   
 
1857 REVOLT -
 
CAUSES
 
 
Page 2


 
   
 
  
Lord Canning (1856-1862) became the Governor General of India in 1856. 
The First War of Indian Independence or the Great Revolt of 1857. The Indian soldiers in the East 
India Company’s army rebelled against the British in 1857. The English historians have painted 
this revolt as a mutiny of the sepoys. But the Indian historians describe it as the First war of Indian 
Independence.  
? Sir John Lawrence was of the opinion that the Revolt was purely a military outbreak, and 
not a conspiracy to overthrow British rule 
? Indian scholars, especially by Vir Savarkar called it as the First War of Indian Independence 
It is also known as the Great Revolt of 1857. Lord Canning was the Governor-General of India at 
that time. The causes of the Great Revolt were many. They may be classified as political, 
administrative, economic, social, religious, military and immediate causes. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Political Causes 
The annexation policy of British was one of the major causes. The terms of the Subsidiary treaties 
signed by Wellesley with different rulers were never honoured unless it suited the British 
interests.  
The Doctrine of Lapse introduced by Dalhousie led to the outright annexation of eight states. Nana 
Saheb lost his pension. Rani of Jhansi was not permitted to adopt a son. They turned against the 
  
MODERN INDIAN HISTORY
 
   
 
1857 REVOLT -
 
CAUSES
 
 
 
   
 
British. They were the most able leaders of the revolt. The annexation of Oudh and deposition of 
its ruler Wazid Ali Shah, made Oudh the most prominent centre of the revolt. Bahadur Shah II, the 
Mughal Emperor and his successors were humiliated by the British. They were prohibited from 
using their ancestral palace, the Red Fort, in future. Besides, the Muslims were in general 
dissatisfied with the British. They felt that they had lost their political power. 
Administrative Causes :  
The Indians disliked and distrusted the administration of the British. For example, the 
replacement of Persian language by English as the court language was not liked by the people. 
The judicial system of the British was costly, mechanical and involved much time. The poor could 
draw no advantage from it. The rich disliked it because they could be brought to trial even by 
appeals of the common men who had been subservient to them for centuries.  
The police system of the British was not effective by that time. The people always felt insecure of 
their property, life and honour.  
The most affected part of British administration was the revenue system. Under the British the 
peasants and the landlords suffered equally. The peasants had to pay heavy revenue taxes. The 
landlords were devoid of their special privileges.  
The British excluded the Indians from all high civil and military jobs. So the educated Indians who 
expected to get gainful employment in the service of the company were disappointed. 
Economic Causes :  
The economic exploitation of the country, the huge drain of wealth and the disappearance of the 
native industries dislocated the economic life of the people in India. The British crippled Indian 
trade and manufacture. They imposed heavy protective duties in Britain while British goods were 
imported into India at a nominal duty. The machine made British goods flooded the Indian 
markets and ruined Indian manufacture.  
With the disappearance of the old aristocratic Zamindars and rulers, the Indian artisans and 
craftmen lost their patronage. The Indian weavers and handicraftsmen were forced to work 
according to the desires of the servants of the company. They in return received very little wages. 
Naturally they lost their interest. It destroyed the cotton textile industry of India which was the 
largest and most beneficial industry.  
Thousands of people who held administrative posts under the Indian rulers were deposed. Loss 
of employment affected others who were dependent on those employees for their livelihood.  
Lord Bentinck’s resumption of rent-free tenures reduced the landowners to poverty. The out-
break of seven famines in the first half of the nineteenth century made the economic distress 
more acute. 
Page 3


 
   
 
  
Lord Canning (1856-1862) became the Governor General of India in 1856. 
The First War of Indian Independence or the Great Revolt of 1857. The Indian soldiers in the East 
India Company’s army rebelled against the British in 1857. The English historians have painted 
this revolt as a mutiny of the sepoys. But the Indian historians describe it as the First war of Indian 
Independence.  
? Sir John Lawrence was of the opinion that the Revolt was purely a military outbreak, and 
not a conspiracy to overthrow British rule 
? Indian scholars, especially by Vir Savarkar called it as the First War of Indian Independence 
It is also known as the Great Revolt of 1857. Lord Canning was the Governor-General of India at 
that time. The causes of the Great Revolt were many. They may be classified as political, 
administrative, economic, social, religious, military and immediate causes. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Political Causes 
The annexation policy of British was one of the major causes. The terms of the Subsidiary treaties 
signed by Wellesley with different rulers were never honoured unless it suited the British 
interests.  
The Doctrine of Lapse introduced by Dalhousie led to the outright annexation of eight states. Nana 
Saheb lost his pension. Rani of Jhansi was not permitted to adopt a son. They turned against the 
  
MODERN INDIAN HISTORY
 
   
 
1857 REVOLT -
 
CAUSES
 
 
 
   
 
British. They were the most able leaders of the revolt. The annexation of Oudh and deposition of 
its ruler Wazid Ali Shah, made Oudh the most prominent centre of the revolt. Bahadur Shah II, the 
Mughal Emperor and his successors were humiliated by the British. They were prohibited from 
using their ancestral palace, the Red Fort, in future. Besides, the Muslims were in general 
dissatisfied with the British. They felt that they had lost their political power. 
Administrative Causes :  
The Indians disliked and distrusted the administration of the British. For example, the 
replacement of Persian language by English as the court language was not liked by the people. 
The judicial system of the British was costly, mechanical and involved much time. The poor could 
draw no advantage from it. The rich disliked it because they could be brought to trial even by 
appeals of the common men who had been subservient to them for centuries.  
The police system of the British was not effective by that time. The people always felt insecure of 
their property, life and honour.  
The most affected part of British administration was the revenue system. Under the British the 
peasants and the landlords suffered equally. The peasants had to pay heavy revenue taxes. The 
landlords were devoid of their special privileges.  
The British excluded the Indians from all high civil and military jobs. So the educated Indians who 
expected to get gainful employment in the service of the company were disappointed. 
Economic Causes :  
The economic exploitation of the country, the huge drain of wealth and the disappearance of the 
native industries dislocated the economic life of the people in India. The British crippled Indian 
trade and manufacture. They imposed heavy protective duties in Britain while British goods were 
imported into India at a nominal duty. The machine made British goods flooded the Indian 
markets and ruined Indian manufacture.  
With the disappearance of the old aristocratic Zamindars and rulers, the Indian artisans and 
craftmen lost their patronage. The Indian weavers and handicraftsmen were forced to work 
according to the desires of the servants of the company. They in return received very little wages. 
Naturally they lost their interest. It destroyed the cotton textile industry of India which was the 
largest and most beneficial industry.  
Thousands of people who held administrative posts under the Indian rulers were deposed. Loss 
of employment affected others who were dependent on those employees for their livelihood.  
Lord Bentinck’s resumption of rent-free tenures reduced the landowners to poverty. The out-
break of seven famines in the first half of the nineteenth century made the economic distress 
more acute. 
 
   
 
Social Causes :  
The British regarded the Indians as an inferior race. They exhibited racial arrogance. They showed 
contempt in their dealing with the Indians. The Indians could not travel in first class train 
compartments. They were kept away from all social gatherings. They were not allowed to mix up 
with the English men. The conservative section of the Indians were alarmed by the rapid spread 
of Western culture and English education in India. Measures like the suppression of Sati and 
female infanticide, remarriage of widows and the right of inheritance to Christian converts 
offended the Indian orthodox sentiments. 
Religious Causes :  
The Christian missionaries were active in propagating Christianity. These activities created a sense 
of fear in the minds of the Indians. They suspected that the British were out to destroy their 
religions and convert India into a Christian land. 
This declaration created a great anger and disbelief against the British rule. Religious sentiments 
were aroused when the British imposed taxes on the lands belonging to temples and mosques. 
The priests and the maulvis showed their discontent against the British rule. All these activities 
made the British unpopular. 
Military Causes :  
The Indian soldiers were called the Sepoys. They constituted the majority of the British army in 
India. In fact, the sword of the British power rested on the loyalty and strength of these Indian 
Sepoys. But they were treated with contempt and made to feel inferior by the British. They were 
paid less than their British counterparts. The Indian sepoys had no chance of promotion in the 
army. They were prohibited from their traditional religious practices like wearing a saffron mark 
on their forehead, growing beard and wearing turbans. 
Lord Cannings’ Government passed in 1856, “The General Services Enlistment Act”. It compelled 
the Indian Sepoys to serve abroad, if there was need. They had to cross the seas. It made them 
angry against the British. 
Immediate Cause :  
The immediate cause was the introduction of new enfield rifles by the British. The cartridges were 
greased by animal fat. The bullets had thick covering which had to be bitten off before loading. 
Believing that the fat of cow and pig had been used to grease these cartridges both the Hindu and 
Muslim sepoys refused to use them. They thought that this would offend their religious tradition 
because the cow is sacred to the Hindus and the pig is detestable to the Muslims.  
On 29 March 1857 at Barrackpore, near Kolkata, Mangal Pandey, a young Indian Sepoy from 
Bengal Regiment, refused to use the greased cartridge, and shot down his sergeant. He was 
arrested, tried and executed. When this news spread many sepoys started the revolt. 
Page 4


 
   
 
  
Lord Canning (1856-1862) became the Governor General of India in 1856. 
The First War of Indian Independence or the Great Revolt of 1857. The Indian soldiers in the East 
India Company’s army rebelled against the British in 1857. The English historians have painted 
this revolt as a mutiny of the sepoys. But the Indian historians describe it as the First war of Indian 
Independence.  
? Sir John Lawrence was of the opinion that the Revolt was purely a military outbreak, and 
not a conspiracy to overthrow British rule 
? Indian scholars, especially by Vir Savarkar called it as the First War of Indian Independence 
It is also known as the Great Revolt of 1857. Lord Canning was the Governor-General of India at 
that time. The causes of the Great Revolt were many. They may be classified as political, 
administrative, economic, social, religious, military and immediate causes. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Political Causes 
The annexation policy of British was one of the major causes. The terms of the Subsidiary treaties 
signed by Wellesley with different rulers were never honoured unless it suited the British 
interests.  
The Doctrine of Lapse introduced by Dalhousie led to the outright annexation of eight states. Nana 
Saheb lost his pension. Rani of Jhansi was not permitted to adopt a son. They turned against the 
  
MODERN INDIAN HISTORY
 
   
 
1857 REVOLT -
 
CAUSES
 
 
 
   
 
British. They were the most able leaders of the revolt. The annexation of Oudh and deposition of 
its ruler Wazid Ali Shah, made Oudh the most prominent centre of the revolt. Bahadur Shah II, the 
Mughal Emperor and his successors were humiliated by the British. They were prohibited from 
using their ancestral palace, the Red Fort, in future. Besides, the Muslims were in general 
dissatisfied with the British. They felt that they had lost their political power. 
Administrative Causes :  
The Indians disliked and distrusted the administration of the British. For example, the 
replacement of Persian language by English as the court language was not liked by the people. 
The judicial system of the British was costly, mechanical and involved much time. The poor could 
draw no advantage from it. The rich disliked it because they could be brought to trial even by 
appeals of the common men who had been subservient to them for centuries.  
The police system of the British was not effective by that time. The people always felt insecure of 
their property, life and honour.  
The most affected part of British administration was the revenue system. Under the British the 
peasants and the landlords suffered equally. The peasants had to pay heavy revenue taxes. The 
landlords were devoid of their special privileges.  
The British excluded the Indians from all high civil and military jobs. So the educated Indians who 
expected to get gainful employment in the service of the company were disappointed. 
Economic Causes :  
The economic exploitation of the country, the huge drain of wealth and the disappearance of the 
native industries dislocated the economic life of the people in India. The British crippled Indian 
trade and manufacture. They imposed heavy protective duties in Britain while British goods were 
imported into India at a nominal duty. The machine made British goods flooded the Indian 
markets and ruined Indian manufacture.  
With the disappearance of the old aristocratic Zamindars and rulers, the Indian artisans and 
craftmen lost their patronage. The Indian weavers and handicraftsmen were forced to work 
according to the desires of the servants of the company. They in return received very little wages. 
Naturally they lost their interest. It destroyed the cotton textile industry of India which was the 
largest and most beneficial industry.  
Thousands of people who held administrative posts under the Indian rulers were deposed. Loss 
of employment affected others who were dependent on those employees for their livelihood.  
Lord Bentinck’s resumption of rent-free tenures reduced the landowners to poverty. The out-
break of seven famines in the first half of the nineteenth century made the economic distress 
more acute. 
 
   
 
Social Causes :  
The British regarded the Indians as an inferior race. They exhibited racial arrogance. They showed 
contempt in their dealing with the Indians. The Indians could not travel in first class train 
compartments. They were kept away from all social gatherings. They were not allowed to mix up 
with the English men. The conservative section of the Indians were alarmed by the rapid spread 
of Western culture and English education in India. Measures like the suppression of Sati and 
female infanticide, remarriage of widows and the right of inheritance to Christian converts 
offended the Indian orthodox sentiments. 
Religious Causes :  
The Christian missionaries were active in propagating Christianity. These activities created a sense 
of fear in the minds of the Indians. They suspected that the British were out to destroy their 
religions and convert India into a Christian land. 
This declaration created a great anger and disbelief against the British rule. Religious sentiments 
were aroused when the British imposed taxes on the lands belonging to temples and mosques. 
The priests and the maulvis showed their discontent against the British rule. All these activities 
made the British unpopular. 
Military Causes :  
The Indian soldiers were called the Sepoys. They constituted the majority of the British army in 
India. In fact, the sword of the British power rested on the loyalty and strength of these Indian 
Sepoys. But they were treated with contempt and made to feel inferior by the British. They were 
paid less than their British counterparts. The Indian sepoys had no chance of promotion in the 
army. They were prohibited from their traditional religious practices like wearing a saffron mark 
on their forehead, growing beard and wearing turbans. 
Lord Cannings’ Government passed in 1856, “The General Services Enlistment Act”. It compelled 
the Indian Sepoys to serve abroad, if there was need. They had to cross the seas. It made them 
angry against the British. 
Immediate Cause :  
The immediate cause was the introduction of new enfield rifles by the British. The cartridges were 
greased by animal fat. The bullets had thick covering which had to be bitten off before loading. 
Believing that the fat of cow and pig had been used to grease these cartridges both the Hindu and 
Muslim sepoys refused to use them. They thought that this would offend their religious tradition 
because the cow is sacred to the Hindus and the pig is detestable to the Muslims.  
On 29 March 1857 at Barrackpore, near Kolkata, Mangal Pandey, a young Indian Sepoy from 
Bengal Regiment, refused to use the greased cartridge, and shot down his sergeant. He was 
arrested, tried and executed. When this news spread many sepoys started the revolt.