The First War of Independence, also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857, was a significant event in Indian history that marked the beginning of India's independence struggle against British colonialism. The immediate cause of the First War of Independence was the introduction of new policies and laws by the British administration that deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian people.



One of the main causes of the First War of Independence was the British policy of Doctrine of Lapse, which stated that any Indian ruler who did not have a natural heir could not pass on his kingdom to an adopted son, as was the tradition in India. This policy led to the annexation of several Indian states by the British, which angered the Indian people, who saw it as an attack on their culture and traditions.



The British also introduced several new laws and policies that were seen as oppressive by the Indian people. The most significant of these was the introduction of the new Enfield rifle, which required soldiers to bite off the end of a cartridge that was greased with animal fat. This was deeply offensive to both Hindu and Muslim soldiers, who saw it as a violation of their religious beliefs.



The high-handed attitude of British officials towards the Indian people was another factor that contributed to the outbreak of the First War of Independence. British officials were often insensitive to the cultural and religious sensitivities of the Indian people and showed little respect for their traditions and beliefs. This led to a growing sense of resentment and anger among the Indian people, who felt that they were being treated as second-class citizens in their own country.



In conclusion, the immediate cause of the First War of Independence was the introduction of new policies and laws by the British administration that deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian people. The policy of Doctrine of Lapse, the introduction of new laws, and the high-handed attitude of British officials were the main factors that contributed to the outbreak of the rebellion. The First War of Independence marked the beginning of India's struggle for independence and paved the way for the eventual end of British colonial rule in India.

Revolt of 1857 was the first war of Indian independence. Its immediate cause was the use of greased cartridges which were required to be bitten with ones teeth before they could be fired.It was suspected that these were coated with the fats of cows and pigs . This enraged the hindu and Muslim soldiers in the army and it thus became an immediate cause for the battle. Mangal Pandey was the first Martyr of this war.