Morning Star Textbook Solutions: The First War of Independence - 1857 | History and Civics Class 10 ICSE PDF Download

Multiple Choice Questions

Q2: Who introduced the Subsidiary Alliance in India?
(a) Lord Hastings
(b) Lord Amherst
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) Lord Cornwallis
Ans: (c)

Q3: Subsidiary Alliance : Awadh :: Doctrine of Lapse : ________
(a) Hyderabad
(b) Mysore
(c) Tanjore
(d) Jhansi
Ans: (d)

Q4: Which was the first kingdom to sign the Subsidiary Alliance?
(a) Mysore
(b) Awadh
(c) Maratha
(d) Jhansi
Ans: (b)

Q5: Seventy-five thousand of the Company's sepoys belonged to which of the following states?
(a) Jaipur
(b) Awadh
(c) Mysore
(d) Sambalpur
Ans: (b) 

Q6: By the provisions of which of the following, 20,000 estates of the landlords were confiscated by the East India Company?
(a) The Hunter Commission
(b) Frazer Commission
(c) The Inam Commission
(d) The Woods' Dispatch
Ans: (c) 

Q7: Where was the family seat of Nana Saheb located?
(a) Nagpur
(b) Lucknow
(c) Poona
(d) Kanpur
Ans: (c)

Q8: Which of the following reforms was resented by the Indians?
(a) The Abolition of Sati
(b) The Widow Remarriage Act
(c) Opening of Girls' school
(d) Both (1) and (2)
Ans: (d)

Q9: The Uprising of 1857 began from
(a) Meerut
(b) Plassey
(c) Buxar
(d) Delhi
Ans: (a)

Q10: After the initial success of the Uprising of 1857, the objective of the leaders of the Uprising included
(a) restoring the former glory to the Mughal empire;
(b) forming a Federation of Indian States;
(c) eliminating foreign rule and return of the old order;
(d) All of the above.
Ans: (d)

Q11: Which of the following events of the Uprising of 1857 and their leaders is not correctly matched?
(a) Lucknow-Begum Hazrat Mahal
(b) Kanpur—Nana Saheb
(c) Meerut-Tantia Tope
(d) Bareilly-Khan Bahadur
Ans: (c)
The Uprising in Meerut was led by sepoys, and Tantia Tope was a general in Nana Saheb's army, not the leader of the revolt in Meerut.

Q12: An effect of the Uprising of 1857 was that —
(a) the spirit of rebellion in India was crushed
(b) the British became totally demoralised
(c) the British abandoned their repressive policies
(d) unity was forged between the Hindus and Muslims
Ans: (c)
The Queen Victoria’s Proclamation promised that the British government in India would no longer intervene in the social and religious affairs of Indians. The policies of annexation and the Doctrine of Lapse were also discontinued.

Q13: Under the Government of India Act 1858, who gave up the direct administration of India?
(a) The East India Company
(b) The British Crown
(c) Lord Mountbatten
(d) The Mughal Emperor
Ans: (a)

Q14: Arrange the following events in chronological order
(A) Battle of Plassey
(B) Queen Victoria's Proclamation
(C) Lord Dalhousie annexed Awadh
(D) Introduction of Enfield Rifle
(a) (A), (B), (C), (D)
(b) (C), (A), (B), (D)
(c) (A), (C), (D), (B)
(d) (A), (D), (C), (B)
Ans: (c)
Battle of Plassey- 1757
Lord Dalhousie annexed Awadh- 1856
Introduction of Enfield Rifle- 1857
Queen Victoria's Proclamation- 1858

Q15: Which was not a drain of wealth from India?
(a) Salaries of Englishmen
(b) Salaries of Sepoys
(c) Establishment of British Officers
(d) Savings of Englishmen
Ans: (b)

Q16: Choose the options that were not a part of the Queen Victoria's Proclamation
P: All subjects of the Queen would be treated as equals.
Q: A general pardon to all those who were a part of the 1857 uprising.
R: Policy of non-intervention in social and religious matters.
S: Continue political expansion with the Doctrine of Lapse and Subsidiary Alliance.
(a) P and Q
(b) Q and R
(c) R and S
(d) Q and S
Ans: (d)
The policy of Annexation through Subsidiary Alliance and Doctrine of Lapse were abandoned. Also, a general pardon was granted to all those who had taken part in the war except those who were found guilty of murder of British subjects.

Assertion (A) & Reason (R)

Q2: (A) The British policy of territorial expansion and gradual annexation of the native Indian States was one of the major grievances of the Indian rulers.
(R) Some States were brought under British control without actually being annexed.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other
Ans: (b)
Reason (R) explains the process used by the British to control states without annexing them, which adds to the grievance described in Assertion (A) about the expansionist policies of the British.

Q3: (A) Lord Dalhousie justified the annexation of Awadh as “for the good of the governed.”
(R) The people of Awadh had to pay higher land revenue and additional taxes on food, houses and ferries.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other
Ans: (a)
Assertion (A) presents Dalhousie's justification of the annexation of Awadh as beneficial for its people. However, Reason (R) describes the adverse consequences for the people of Awadh, which contradicts the idea that the annexation was for their benefit.

Q4: (A) The British introduced modern innovations like railways and telegraph in India in the mid-19th century.
(R) The British introduced these innovations to modernise India.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other
Ans: (c)
The Assertion (A) talks about the introduction of modern innovations like railways and telegraph in India by the British in the mid-19th century which is true. The Reason (R) given is false because the British did not introduce these innovations with the intention to modernize India. Instead, their primary motives were:

• Efficient administration – Faster movement of troops and officials.
• Economic exploitation – Easy transportation of raw materials from India to British factories and finished goods back to Indian markets.
• Military control – Quick communication and movement of forces to suppress rebellions.

Q5: (A) The Indian soldiers, who helped East India Company to establish the British Empire in India, were poorly paid, ill-fed and badly housed.
(R) A large proportion of British Army consisted of Indian Soldiers.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other
Ans: (d)
Assertion (A) talks about the poor conditions of the Indian soldiers who helped the East India Company establish the British Empire in India. Reason (R) states that a large proportion of the British Army consisted of Indian Soldiers. Both statements are true but are independent of each other.

Q6: (A) The Uprising of 1857 paved the way for the rise of the national movement.
(R) Although the Uprising failed to achieve its objectives, it inspired the Indians to resist the British rule.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other
Ans: (b)
Reason (R) provides a reason for Assertion (A), stating that although the Uprising failed to achieve its objectives, it inspired the Indians to resist the British rule. The sacrifices made by Rani Laxmi Bai, Nana Saheb and Mangal Pandey served as a source of inspiration for the future freedom fighters.

Short Answer Questions

1. After which battle did the Company begin rapid territorial expansion in India?
2. What was the result of the Great Uprising of 1857 on the Company's rule?

Ans: 

1. The company began rapid territorial expansion after the Battle of Plassey (1757).
2. The Great Uprising of 1857 put an end to the company's rule. The Government of India Act of 1858 was passed by the British crown which transferred the power to govern India from the East India Company to the British Crown.

Q2: What was the nature of revolts against the British before the First War of Independence?
Ans: The rebellions against the British before the First War of Independence were local, scattered and isolated. They did not pose a serious threat to the British.

Q3: Why was the "War of 1857" hailed as the First War of Independence?
Ans: Revolt of 1857 was known as the first war of independence because it was for the first time that our entire nation irrespective of the caste, creed, race, and religion had come together and staged an armed protest against the Britishers to gain independence from their colonial rule.

Q4: Mention two political causes of the First War of Independence.
Ans: Two political causes of the First War of Independence were —

1. Policy of Expansion — The British policy of territorial expansion and gradual annexation of the native Indian states was one of the major grievances of the Indian rulers.
2. Absentee Sovereignty of the British — Indians felt they were being ruled from England and India's wealth was drained to England and not utilised for their welfare.

Q5: Name two ways in which the British expanded their territorial power in India.
Ans: Two ways in which the British expanded their territorial power in India were-

1. Subsidiary alliance
2. Doctrine of Lapse

Q6: What was the Subsidiary Alliance? Name two Indian States brought under the British control using the Subsidiary Alliance.
Ans: The Subsidiary Alliance was an agreement between the British East India Company and Indian princely states, under which the states gave up their independence to the British.
Two Indian states that came under British control through the Subsidiary Alliance were Awadh and Hyderabad.

Q7: Explain the term: Doctrine of Lapse. Name the two States annexed by the British using the Doctrine of Lapse.
Ans: The Doctrine of Lapse stated that if an Indian ruler died without a male heir, his kingdom would be annexed by the British East India Company.
The two states annexed by the British under the Doctrine of Lapse were Jhansi and Nagpur.

Q8: Which policy was used by Lord Dalhousie against Rani Laxmi Bai? Why did Rani Laxmi Bai become a bitter enemy of the British?
Ans: Lord Dalhousie applied the Doctrine of Lapse against Rani Laxmi Bai.
Rani Laxmi Bai became a fierce opponent of the British when, after the death of the ruler of Jhansi in 1853, her adopted son Anand Rao was not recognized as the legitimate heir, and she was instead given a pension.

Q9: State two announcements which adversely affected the Mughal dynasty in India.
Ans: Two announcements which adversely affected the Mughal dynasty in India are-

1. In 1849, Lord Dalhousie announced that successors of Bahadur Shah Zafar would not be permitted to use the Red Fort as their palace. They were required to shift to a place near the Qutub Minar.
2. In 1856, Lord Canning announced that after the death of Bahadur Shah, his successors would not be allowed to use the imperial titles with their names and would be known as mere princes.

Q10: Mention any two consequences of the annexation of Awadh.
Ans: Two consequences of the annexation of Awadh are-

1. People had to pay higher land revenue and additional taxes on food, houses and ferries.
2. The dissolution of the Nawab of Awadh's army and administration threw thousands of nobles, officials and soldiers out of jobs.

Q11: State any two consequences of the disbanding of the armies of the annexed States by the British.
Ans: Two consequences of the disbanding of the armies of the annexed States by the British are-

1. The dissolution of the Nawab of Awadh's army and administration threw thousands of nobles, officials and soldiers out of jobs.
2. It also affected the soldier's financial position. They had to pay higher taxes on the land their families held in Awadh.

Q12: Give the meaning of Absentee Sovereignty. Why was it resented by the Indians?
Ans: Absentee Sovereignty of the British means that India was being ruled by the British government from England, at a distance of thousands of miles.
This was resented by the Indians because they felt that they were being ruled from England and India's wealth was being drained to England and not utilised for their welfare.

Q13: What were the apprehensions of Indians about the introduction of the railways?
Ans: The apprehensions of Indians about the introduction of the railways were that in the railway compartments, the higher castes and the lower castes were made to sit side by side. They believed that the British had introduced such practices to defy their caste and religion.

Q14: Mention any two social reforms advocated by the British which affected the religious traditions of the Indian people.
Ans: Two social reforms advocated by the British which affected the religious traditions of the Indian people are-

1. Abolition of Sati in 1829
2. Widow Remarriage Act of 1856

Q15: Mention any two measures which point to the policy of social discrimination followed by the British in India.
Ans: Two measures which point to the policy of social discrimination followed by the British in India are-

1. The Indian soldiers were poorly paid, ill-fed and badly housed.
2. All higher positions in employment were reserved for the British, irrespective of their performance.

Q16: Give any two grievances of the peasantry against the British.
Ans: Two grievances of the peasantry against the British are-

1. Increase in the land revenue forced many peasants into indebtedness or into selling their lands.
2. The traditional zamindars were replaced by merchants and moneylenders. These new land owners had no concern for the peasants. They pushed rents to exorbitant levels and evicted their tenants in case of non-payment.

Q17: What did the British do to reduce the landed aristocracy to poverty?
Ans: Under the Inam Commission (1852), 20,000 estates were seized when landlords failed to provide proof of ownership, such as title deeds. These lands were then auctioned off to the highest bidders, which resulted in the impoverishment of the landed aristocracy.

Q18: What was the provision of the General Service Enlistment Act which was resented by the Indian soldiers? Why was it resented?
Ans: The General Service Enlistment Act of 1856 allowed Indian soldiers to be sent abroad for duty, which went against the traditional belief that Brahmins should not cross the seas. This act disregarded the sentiments of Indian soldiers, particularly Brahmins, who saw this as a threat to their caste, leading to resentment.

Q19: Mention any two grievances harboured by the Indian soldiers which created an atmosphere favourable to the First War of Independence.
Ans: Two key grievances among Indian soldiers that contributed to the rise of the First War of Independence were:

1. Higher positions in employment were exclusively reserved for the British, regardless of performance.
2. Indian soldiers' wages were insufficient to support their families, while British soldiers earned more than eight times the salary of their Indian counterparts.

Q20: State two effects of the defeat of the British in the first Afghan War and the Punjab Wars on the Indian soldiers.
Ans: Two effects of the defeat of the British in the first Afghan War and the Punjab Wars on the Indian soldiers are-

1. The defeat of the British broke the myth that the British were invincible.
2. It revealed to the Indian soldiers that the British army could be defeated by the determined Indian army.

Q21: What was the immediate cause of the First War of Independence?
Ans: The immediate cause of the First War of Independence was the introduction of the Enfield rifle. The loading process of the Enfield rifle involved bringing the cartridge to the mouth and biting off the top greased paper with the teeth.
In January 1857, there was a rumour in the Bengal regiments that the greased cartridge had the fat of cow or pig. The sepoys were now convinced that the introduction of greased cartridges was a deliberate move to defile Hindu and Muslim religions. So, the soldiers refused to use these cartridges and staged an uprising when they were forced to use them.

Q22: Who was Mangal Pandey? What did he do?
Ans: Mangal Pandey was a Brahmin sepoy, who refused to use the Enfield rifles.
He led an attack on the Adjutant of the 34th Native Infantry at Barrackpore on March 29, 1857. He was executed after a court martial.

Q23: State two consequences of the First War of Indian Independence on the East India Company.
Ans: Two consequences of the First War of Indian Independence on the East India Company are-

1. End of the Company's rule in India
2. The British rulers declared emphatically their policy of non-interference in the religious affairs, customs and traditions of the Indians.

Q24: What were the aims of India's foreign policy after the Queen's Proclamation?
Ans: The aims of India's foreign policy after the Queen's Proclamation were:

• protection of its Indian Empire
• expansion of British economic and commercial interests in Asia and Africa.

Q25: Mention any two drawbacks of the First War of Independence.
Ans: Two drawbacks of the First War of Independence are-

• The movement had no common goal before it except for the anti-foreign sentiments.
• Some of the rulers of the Indian states and the big zamindars refused to join the movement.

Structured Questions

(b) Briefly explain how the British unwittingly led to the united rallying of Hindus and Muslims by introducing the Enfield Rifle.
Ans: The process of loading the Enfield Rifle required soldiers to bite off a greased cartridge, rumored to contain cow or pig fat. Since cows are sacred to Hindus and pigs are forbidden to Muslims, both Hindu and Muslim soldiers refused to use the cartridges. The British forced them to comply, which led to a united uprising by both communities.

(c) How was the British army reorganised to avoid another uprising of this kind?
Ans: To prevent another uprising, the British increased the number of European troops in India, ensuring a ratio of European to Indian soldiers of 1:2 (Bengal army) and 2:5 (Madras and Bombay armies). European troops were stationed in key positions, and Indian soldiers were never entrusted with sophisticated weapons. Discrimination based on caste, region, and religion was practiced in recruitment, and nationalist materials were kept from reaching soldiers.

Q2: (a) The ruin of trade and handicrafts:
Ans: The British policies devastated Indian trade and handicrafts by imposing heavy duties on Indian silk and cotton goods in Britain, while British goods entered India with minimal duties. By the mid-19th century, exports of Indian textiles ceased, and the traditional spinning and weaving industries, which employed thousands of artisans, vanished. The artisans suffered further due to the loss of patronage from Indian princes and chieftains.

(b) Impoverishment of the cultivators:
Ans: The British land revenue policies, which imposed heavy taxes, were a major cause of the peasantry's impoverishment. These taxes were used to fund British trade, administration, and wars. The land revenue was significantly higher than during Mughal rule, and the money was not invested in agricultural development. This led to widespread indebtedness, land sales, and exploitation by new zamindars and moneylenders, pushing peasants into extreme poverty.

(c) Subordination of Indian economy to British interests:
Ans: The British turned India into an economic colony, exporting raw materials like cotton and silk at low prices to feed British industries. India was forced to import British manufactured goods, destroying local industries. The export of essential agricultural products deprived India of its surplus, leading to price increases for raw materials.

Q3: (a) Who are referred to as 'rebels of Delhi' in the excerpt above? When did they rebel and where?
Ans: The 'rebels of Delhi' refer to the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah, the soldiers from Meerut, and local infantry who joined them. They rebelled in Delhi starting from May 11, 1857, when they declared Bahadur Shah as the Emperor of India and rose against the British.

(b) What was the temptation or provocation being talked about in the excerpt?
Ans: The "temptation or provocation" refers to the causes behind the Indian rebellion of 1857, including political, socio-religious, economic, and military grievances. These included policies like the Doctrine of Lapse, oppression of social customs, economic exploitation, and the introduction of the Enfield Rifle.

(c) What were the consequences of their alleged 'crimes'?
Ans: The consequences of their alleged crimes included the execution of Bahadur Shah’s sons in front of him, his life imprisonment, and deportation to Myanmar. The British carried out mass executions and severely punished the rebel soldiers.

Q4: (a) How did the uprising give rise to nationalism in India?
Ans: The 1857 uprising was India’s first major struggle for independence, inspiring future freedom movements. The sacrifices of figures like Rani Laxmi Bai, Nana Saheb, and Mangal Pandey became a source of inspiration for later nationalists, establishing a tradition of resistance against British rule.

(b) How did the end of the East India Company's rule bring in grave economic perils in India?
Ans: After the end of the East India Company's rule, India became a more entrenched colonial economy, with the British exploiting Indian resources for their own benefit. The economy faced increasing hardship due to the export of raw materials and the import of finished goods, which drained India's wealth and worsened poverty.

(c) How did the British Government try to pacify the feelings of Indians with regard to:
Ans: (i) Religious Practices: The British promised non-interference in Indian religious matters and assured equality between Indian and European subjects, as stated in Queen Victoria’s Proclamation.
(ii)The Princely States: The British abandoned the Doctrine of Lapse and assured Indian princes that their right to adopt heirs would be respected. The loyalty of those princes who helped suppress the uprising was rewarded, and in 1876, Queen Victoria took the title of "Empress of India," strengthening their alliance with the Indian rulers.

Picture Study

(a) Who are the persons in the picture? How were they treated by their British counterparts?
(b) State any three grievances they had against the British.
(c) What changes were brought in their status after the Uprising of 1857?
Ans: (a) The individuals in the image are Indian Sepoys serving in the British army. Despite their competency, they faced mistreatment by their British superiors. They received low pay, poor food, and inadequate housing. The British military officials prohibited them from wearing their caste and religious symbols, including beards and turbans, showing a lack of respect for their beliefs.
(b) Three major complaints Indian soldiers had against the British were:

• Limited Promotion Opportunities: All higher military positions were reserved for the British, regardless of the performance of Indian Sepoys. Indian Sepoys were not allowed to rise above the rank of Subedar.
• Lower Wages: The Indian Sepoys were paid insufficiently to support their families, while British soldiers earned more than eight times their salary.
• Loss of Allowances: Indian Sepoys were deployed far from home without any additional pay or allowances. Moreover, the Post Office Act of 1854 eliminated the privilege of free postage that sepoys had previously enjoyed.

(c) After 1858, the Indian army was restructured to prevent another rebellion, and the status of the Indian Sepoys changed in the following ways:

• The number of European troops in India was increased, and a specific ratio was set for European to Indian troops: 1:2 in the Bengal army and 2:5 in the Madras and Bombay armies. The general rule was that Indian sepoys could not outnumber European soldiers by more than two to one.
• Indian troops were never entrusted with advanced weapons or ammunition. Most Indian artillery units were disbanded, except for a few mountain units.
• Recruitment practices in the army became discriminatory based on caste and religion.
• The circulation of newspapers, journals, and nationalist publications was restricted from reaching the soldiers.
• To prevent the spread of nationalist ideas, measures such as the introduction of caste and community divisions within regiments were implemented.

(a) Identify the person in the picture. Name the Proclamation made by her in 1858.
(b) Where and by whom was this proclamation made public?
(c) What assurance did this proclamation give to the Indian people regarding (i) religious freedom and (ii) appointment to public offices.
Ans: (a) This image depicts Queen Victoria. The declaration was known as Queen Victoria's Proclamation.
(b) Queen Victoria's Proclamation was announced at Allahabad on November 1, 1858, by Lord Canning, the first Viceroy of India.
(c) The following promises were made to the Indian people through this Proclamation: (i) The Proclamation assured that Queen Victoria would adopt a policy of non-interference in the social and religious affairs of Indians, treating all subjects, both Indians and Europeans, equally. (ii) The Proclamation included a provision stating that appointments to the civil service would be made through open competition, with rules set by the Secretary of State. Education and merit would be the criteria for all appointments.

Thinking Skills

• The Nawab of Awadh was deeply angered by the disrespectful manner in which he was deposed and Awadh was annexed under the pretext of alleged misrule, despite having been the first to enter into a subsidiary alliance and paying the British to defend Awadh.
• Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and his wife Zeenat Mahal were outraged by the British decision that his successors could no longer use the Red Fort as their residence nor carry the imperial titles.
• The rulers of Jhansi, Satara, Jaitpur, Sambalpur, Udaipur, and Nagpur were dissatisfied as their kingdoms were annexed by the British through the Doctrine of Lapse.
• Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Baji Rao II, was denied the pension that had been granted to Baji Rao II and was forced to live in Kanpur, far from his family's base in Poona.
• The Nawabs of Carnatic and Tanjore were displeased as they lost their royal titles.
• The Nizam of Hyderabad, the ruler of Mysore, the Raja of Tanjore, the Sindhia, and the Rajput rulers of Jodhpur, Jaipur, Macheri, Bundi, and Bharatpur had entered into a subsidiary alliance with the British. They became wary of the British and were unhappy about the loss of their sovereignty.

Q2: Imagine you were a Subedar in the army hailing from a landed family from Awadh. State the grievances your father had against the British.
Ans: After annexation of Awadh, the grievances my father had against the British are as follows:

• His son had helped the British to conquer the rest of India and as a result, his homeland had come under foreign rule.
• The annexation of Awadh affected his financial position.
• He had to pay higher taxes on the land his family held in Awadh.

Q3: There were uprisings against the British in every corner of the country in the nineteenth century. Make a list of the uprisings in your locality and manner in which the imperialists dealt with them.
Ans: In 1856, the British started annexing various cities under the pretext of misrule. My locality was also annexed, leading to increased taxes and the removal of nobles, officials, and soldiers from their positions. This caused widespread resentment, which led to several uprisings in the area. Notable uprisings include:

• In March 1857, the introduction of greased cartridges sparked the revolt. Sepoys who refused to use them were imprisoned and given hard labor. Indian soldiers broke into a jail to free their comrades, captured the city, and attempted to unite the chiefs. However, the British recaptured the city, and the rebels faced severe punishment.
• In May 1857, another uprising took place, where Indian soldiers surrounded Sir Henry Lawrence's residence, housing Europeans. Despite the bravery of the Indian forces, they could not withstand the British and lost control of the city by March 1858.

While several uprisings took place, the lack of proper organization led to their failure.

Q4: Suppose the Uprising of 1857 had not taken place when it did. What would have happened then? Do you think India would still have gained Independence later. Why or why not?
Ans: Had the Uprising of 1857 not occurred, India's history could have followed a different trajectory. Though the revolt failed, it was a significant early expression of resistance against British rule and demonstrated the potential for unity among different Indian groups. Without the uprising:

• British exploitation under the East India Company might have persisted for a longer period.
• The subsequent reforms, such as the end of Company rule, Queen Victoria's Proclamation, and changes in army and administration, could have been delayed or not taken place.
• The idea of a united Indian resistance might have taken longer to form.

However, the desire for independence would have eventually emerged due to continued economic exploitation, racial discrimination, and political repression, as seen later in the rise of nationalist movements. While independence might have come eventually, the Revolt of 1857 played a crucial role in igniting early nationalist sentiments and influencing future resistance movements.

Q5: India gained independence from the British rule 90 years after the First War of Independence. Why, do you think, it took so long for us to become an independent nation?
Ans: India’s independence took another 90 years after the First War of Independence due to several reasons:

• Lack of National Unity: The revolt was not a unified national movement. It was limited to specific regions, and many Indian rulers either remained neutral or supported the British, fearing loss of power.
• Absence of a Common Nationalist Ideology: The rebels fought mainly to restore former powers rather than for a unified independent India.
• Superior British Strength: The British had advanced military technology, better communication systems, and stronger administrative machinery, which allowed them to suppress the revolt effectively.
• Divide and Rule Policy: The British implemented policies that deepened divisions between Hindus and Muslims, hindering the formation of a united opposition to colonial rule.
• Repressive British Measures: Following the revolt, the British imposed harsh punishments, strengthened their control, and prevented any similar uprisings.
• Gradual Rise of Political Awareness: Political movements, like the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885, helped create a more organized resistance, but it took decades for the movement to become a mass struggle.

While the First War of Independence marked an important step, India's eventual independence came through years of political awareness, social reforms, and a stronger united movement, which developed over time under British oppression. Hence, it took 90 more years to overthrow British rule.