When People Rebel - Chapter Wise CBSE Solved Question and Answer Based On NCERT
Long Q&A:
Q1: Write about any four changes that were introduced by the British after the revolt of 1857.
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Ans:
Given below are the important changes that were introduced by the British.
The British Parliament passed a new Act in 1858 and transferred the powers of the East India Company to the British Crown.
A member of the British Cabinet was appointed as Secretary of State for India and given a council named India council to advise him in matters of governance.
All the ruling chiefs were assured that their territory will never be annexed in future though they were made to acknowledge the British Queen as their Sovereign Paramount.
The land and properties of the Muslims was confiscated on a large scale and treated with suspicion and hostility as the British believed they were responsible for the mutiny in a big way.
Policies were made to protect landlords and zamindars and give them security of rights over their lands.
Q2: What were the main causes of the revolt of 1857?
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Ans:
The immediate causes for the mutiny of 1857 are as follows:
The British asked the Indian sepoys to use cartridges made of pig and cow fat in wars which hurt the religious sensibilities of the Muslims as well as Hindus of India leading to discontent and rage among the sepoys against the British.
The sepoys were also unhappy about their pay, allowances and conditions of service which again violated their religious beliefs. For instance, it was believed that people who go overseas were considered to lose their caste and religion, contrary to which the Indian sepoys where sent to other countries abroad for war.
The laws made by the British to reform the Indian societies such as abolition of Sati and encouragement of widow remarriage made the Indian repel as they felt the British were destroying the customs and way of life.
The plight of peasants and zamindars that resented high taxes and rigid methods of revenue and resulted in losing their land to the British also ignited rage amongst the peasant and zamindar community.
Though the above given were the immediate causes for the outbreak of the revolt, the British plans to annex and capture the Mughal Empire also came as an insecurity to Indians and hence, led by Bahadur Shah Zafar, the mutiny broke out in May,1857 much to the shock of the British.
