Answer in detail

VI. Answer in detail

1. Discuss the causes of the Revolt of 1857?

Annexation policy of the British:

• By the doctrine of Paramountcy new territories were annexed on the grounds that the native rulers were corrupt and inept.

• If a native ruler failed to produce a biological male heir to the throne, the territory was to be annexed by the British.

• By the Doctrine of lapse Satara, Jhansi, Nagpur, Sambalpur and parts of Punjab were annexed

Insensitivity to Indian cultural sentiments:

• The Indian soldiers were prohibited from smearing religious marks on their foreheads and having whiskers. They were asked to replace their turbans with round hat. It created resentment among the soldiers.

• The Indian soldiers refused to cross sea, since crossing the sea meant the loss of their caste.

• The sepoys were upset with discrimination in salary and promotion.

• The Indian soldiers were paid less than the European soldiers.

• They felt humiliated and racially abused by their seniors.

Enfield rifle:

• The supply of greased cartridges for the new Enfield rifles was the immediate cause for the mutiny.

• There was a suspecion that the cartridges had been greased with cow and pig fat. The cartridges had to be bitten off before loading. Pork is forbidden to the Muslims and the cow is sacred to the Hindus. So the soldiers refused to use these cartridges.

• Mangal Pandey who refused to use the cartridge was arrested and executed. This resulted in the revolt.

2. How did the people of Bengal respond to the Partition of Bengal (1905)?

• The partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon was to create a Hindu-Muslim divide.

• When the partition of Bengal was proposed the people of Bengal protested against it through prayers, press, campaigns, petitions and public meetings.

• Instead of dividing the Bengali people along the religious line, the partition of Bengal united them all.

Anti - partition movement

• The partition of Bengal angered both the moderates and the extremists.

• They decided to boycott British goods.

• Swadeshi movement was started. It aimed at the cancellation of partition of Bengal.

• The moderates were very much against utilizing the campaign to start a full fledged passive resistance.

• But the extremists were in favour of extending the movement beyond Bengal and to initiate a full scale mass struggle.

• The day on which Bengal was partitioned was declared as the day of mourning.

• Thousands of people took bath in River Ganga and marched on the streets of Calcutta singing Bande Mataram. 

VII. Activity

1. Identify the Acts passed in British India from 1858 to 1919, with a brief note on each.

2. Mark the important centres of 1857 Revolt on an outline map.

3. Prepare an album with pictures of frontline leaders of all the anti-colonial struggles launched against the British.