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The Great Uprising of 1857 ICSE Class 8 History Notes

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History & CivicsICSE Class 8 · Chapter 9

The Great Uprising of 1857 ICSE Class 8: Causes, Leaders, Results and Nature

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

The Great Uprising of 1857 was a widespread revolt against the rule of the East India Company that began with sepoys at Meerut on 10 May 1857 and spread across north and central India. It arose from political, socio-religious, economic and military grievances, sparked by the greased cartridges issue, and led to the end of Company rule in 1858.

What The Great Uprising of 1857 is about

In May 1857 Indian soldiers (sepoys) of the Company's army at Meerut rose against their officers and marched to Delhi, where they declared the aged Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar their leader. Within weeks the revolt had spread to Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, Bihar and many other places. Sepoys were joined by princes, landlords, peasants and artisans. It took the British more than a year of hard fighting to regain control.

The CISCE curriculum asks for the reasons (political, socio-religious, economic and military), the immediate causes, the leaders and spread of the uprising, its consequences and its nature. A good answer treats each cause separately and supports it with a fact: for example, the doctrine of lapse for political causes or the General Service Enlistment Act for military causes.

Historians still debate what to call these events: a mutiny, a revolt, or the First War of Independence. This page explains each view so that you can discuss the uprising's nature in a balanced way.

Weightage: CISCE publishes no question paper, marking scheme or chapter weightage for Class VIII History and Civics: your school sets and marks the exam. The Great Uprising of 1857 sits in the History: The Great Uprising of 1857 section of the CISCE Curriculum for Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII).Source: CISCE Curriculum for Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII), RDCD 2016

Key concepts

Political causes

1. Doctrine of lapse: Lord Dalhousie annexed states such as Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi when rulers died without natural male heirs, refusing to recognise adopted sons.
2. Annexation of Awadh (1856): Awadh, a loyal ally, was annexed on the pretext of misgovernment and its nawab, Wajid Ali Shah, was sent to Calcutta. Many sepoys came from Awadh, so this hurt them directly.
3. Treatment of the Mughal emperor: the British decided that after Bahadur Shah Zafar, the Mughal family would lose the title of king and would have to leave the Red Fort.
4. Pensions stopped: the pension of Nana Saheb, adopted son of the last Peshwa Baji Rao II, was stopped.
5. Subsidiary alliance and interference: rulers lost their independence and the British Resident interfered in their affairs.
Result: rulers and nobles who had lost their thrones, pensions or prestige became leaders of the revolt.

Worked example

(3 marks) Explain three political causes of the uprising of 1857.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Doctrine of lapse: Satara, Nagpur, Jhansi annexed - 1 mark.
  2. Annexation of Awadh on the pretext of misgovernment - 1 mark.
  3. Insult to the Mughal emperor / Nana Saheb's pension stopped - 1 mark.

Answer: (1) Under Dalhousie's doctrine of lapse, states such as Jhansi and Nagpur were annexed because adopted sons were not recognised. (2) Awadh was annexed in 1856 on the pretext of misgovernment, angering its people and its many sepoys. (3) The Mughal emperor was told his successors would lose their title, and Nana Saheb's pension was stopped, so the ruling families felt insulted.

Socio-religious causes

1. Fear of interference in religion: many Indians believed the British wanted to convert them to Christianity. Christian missionaries were active and sometimes criticised Indian religions openly.
2. Social reform laws: laws such as the abolition of sati (1829) and the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act (1856) were welcomed by reformers but seen by orthodox sections as interference in their customs.
3. Law of 1850: a law allowed a person who converted to another religion to inherit ancestral property, which many saw as encouraging conversion.
4. Racial arrogance: many British officials treated Indians as inferiors and kept them out of high posts.
5. Western education and new institutions, such as railways in which people of all castes travelled together, were seen by some as a threat to caste and religion.

Worked example

(2 marks) Why did some Indians see British social reforms as a threat?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Laws such as the abolition of sati and widow remarriage changed long-held customs - 1 mark.
  2. Combined with missionary activity, they made people fear an attack on their religion - 1 mark.

Answer: Laws abolishing sati and permitting widow remarriage changed old customs, and together with missionary activity and the law of 1850 on converts' property rights, they made many orthodox Indians fear that the British were trying to destroy their religion.

Economic and military causes

Economic causes:
1. Heavy land revenue drove many peasants into debt; their lands passed to moneylenders.
2. Taluqdars (landlords) of Awadh lost many of their estates after annexation.
3. Artisans and weavers were ruined by British goods and the loss of royal patrons.
4. Indians were excluded from higher, well-paid posts in government.

Military causes:
1. Discrimination: Indian sepoys were paid much less than British soldiers and could not rise above junior officer ranks such as subedar.
2. General Service Enlistment Act (1856): new recruits had to agree to serve overseas if ordered. Many sepoys believed crossing the sea would make them lose their caste.
3. Loss of allowances: sepoys sent to newly annexed areas lost the extra allowance (bhatta) for foreign service.
4. Numbers: Indian soldiers greatly outnumbered British soldiers in India, and recent British losses in wars elsewhere had weakened the belief that the British could not be defeated.

Worked example

(3 marks) State three grievances of Indian sepoys before 1857.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Lower pay than British soldiers and no promotion to high ranks - 1 mark.
  2. General Service Enlistment Act (1856): could be sent overseas, against caste beliefs of many - 1 mark.
  3. Loss of foreign service allowance / annexation of Awadh, home of many sepoys - 1 mark.

Answer: (1) Sepoys were paid far less than British soldiers and could not rise beyond junior ranks. (2) The General Service Enlistment Act of 1856 required new recruits to serve overseas, which many believed would break caste rules. (3) They lost the foreign service allowance in newly annexed areas, and many were angered by the annexation of Awadh, their home.

Immediate cause and the outbreak

The greased cartridges: the new Enfield rifle used cartridges whose paper covering had to be bitten off before loading. A rumour spread that they were greased with the fat of cows and pigs, offending both Hindu and Muslim sepoys. The British tried to calm fears, but sepoys did not believe them.

Barrackpore (29 March 1857): Mangal Pandey, a sepoy, attacked his officers. He was hanged soon after.

Meerut (10 May 1857): 85 sepoys who had refused to use the cartridges were publicly stripped of their uniforms, put in chains and sent to prison on 9 May. The next day, 10 May, their comrades rose, freed them, killed some British officers and marched to Delhi.

Delhi (11 May 1857): the sepoys reached Delhi and proclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar, the Mughal emperor, as their leader. This gave the revolt a symbol of legitimacy and helped it spread.

Worked example

(2 marks) What was the immediate cause of the uprising of 1857?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Introduction of the Enfield rifle with cartridges that had to be bitten open - 1 mark.
  2. Rumour that they were greased with cow and pig fat, offending Hindu and Muslim sepoys - 1 mark.

Answer: The immediate cause was the greased cartridges of the new Enfield rifle. Sepoys had to bite them open, and a rumour spread that they were greased with cow and pig fat, which offended the religious feelings of both Hindu and Muslim sepoys.

Leaders and spread of the uprising

The uprising spread mainly in north and central India: the area around Delhi, Awadh, Rohilkhand, Bundelkhand, parts of Bihar and central India.

Main centres and leaders:

  • Delhi: Bahadur Shah Zafar (symbolic leader), with Bakht Khan, a soldier from Bareilly, as military commander.
  • Kanpur: Nana Saheb, adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II, helped by his commander Tantia Tope.
  • Lucknow (Awadh): Begum Hazrat Mahal, who declared her young son Birjis Qadr the nawab.
  • Jhansi: Rani Lakshmibai, who fought bravely, later joined Tantia Tope and died fighting in June 1858.
  • Bihar (Jagdishpur): Kunwar Singh, an elderly zamindar.
  • Faizabad: Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah.
  • Bareilly: Khan Bahadur Khan.

The British recaptured Delhi in September 1857. Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried and exiled to Rangoon (Yangon), where he died in 1862. Tantia Tope continued a guerrilla war until he was captured and executed in 1859.

Worked example

(3 marks) Match three leaders of 1857 with the places where they led the revolt.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Rani Lakshmibai - Jhansi - 1 mark.
  2. Begum Hazrat Mahal - Lucknow - 1 mark.
  3. Kunwar Singh - Bihar (Jagdishpur) / Nana Saheb - Kanpur - 1 mark.

Answer: Rani Lakshmibai led the revolt at Jhansi, Begum Hazrat Mahal at Lucknow, and Kunwar Singh in Bihar (Jagdishpur). Nana Saheb led it at Kanpur.

Consequences and nature of the uprising

Consequences:
1. End of Company rule: the Government of India Act, 1858, transferred power from the East India Company to the British Crown.
2. New offices: a Secretary of State for India in the British cabinet; the Governor-General was also called the Viceroy, the Crown's representative (Lord Canning was the first).
3. Queen Victoria's Proclamation (1 November 1858): no further annexation of Indian states; rulers could adopt heirs; treaties with princes would be respected; religious freedom; equal treatment under law; pardon for rebels not guilty of murdering British subjects.
4. Army reorganised: the proportion of British soldiers was increased; artillery was kept in British hands; recruitment favoured groups the British considered loyal, and soldiers of different communities were mixed in regiments to prevent unity (divide and rule).
5. Princes became allies of the British; the doctrine of lapse was ended.
6. Bitterness and distrust grew between the British and Indians.

Nature (historians' views):

  • A 'sepoy mutiny': the view of many British writers of the time, stressing that it began in the army.
  • A 'feudal revolt': an attempt by deposed princes and landlords to regain their power.
  • The 'First War of Indian Independence': the view of V.D. Savarkar (1909) and many nationalists, because people of different religions and classes fought together against foreign rule.
  • Most historians today see it as more than a mutiny: a widespread popular revolt with sepoys at its core, though it was not yet a national movement in the modern sense.

Worked example

(4 marks) State four consequences of the uprising of 1857.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. End of Company rule; Government of India Act, 1858 - 1 mark.
  2. Secretary of State for India and Viceroy - 1 mark.
  3. Queen's Proclamation: no annexation, religious freedom, princes may adopt - 1 mark.
  4. Army reorganised: more British soldiers, divide and rule - 1 mark.

Answer: (1) The Government of India Act, 1858, ended Company rule and placed India under the British Crown. (2) A Secretary of State for India was appointed in London, and the Governor-General became the Viceroy. (3) Queen Victoria's Proclamation promised no more annexations, respect for treaties and religious freedom. (4) The army was reorganised with more British soldiers and regiments mixed to prevent unity.

The Great Uprising of 1857 in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Rumour as a spark

Suppose a message spreads on a class group chat that the new canteen oil contains something forbidden by many students' beliefs. The principal denies it, but students already angry about other canteen rules refuse to eat there.

Why did the rumour work so quickly, and how does this resemble 1857?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. The rumour touched a deeply held belief.
  2. Students already had other grievances, so they trusted the rumour over the denial.
  3. In 1857 the greased-cartridge rumour sparked a revolt because grievances had already built up.

Answer: The rumour worked because trust was already low after other grievances. In 1857 the cartridge rumour was the immediate cause, but it lit a fire built up by political, economic, social and military grievances.

Memory hook: The cartridge was the spark, not the fuel.

Unity across groups

Imagine that in a sports tournament, players from rival school houses who normally compete against each other join together to protest against an unfair referee.

What does such cooperation show? How does it relate to the nature of the 1857 uprising?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Shared grievances can unite groups that are usually divided.
  2. In 1857 Hindus and Muslims, sepoys, princes and peasants fought together.
  3. This is why nationalists called it the First War of Independence.

Answer: It shows that a common grievance can unite rivals. In 1857 people of different religions and classes fought together against British rule, which is why many nationalists called it the First War of Indian Independence.

Memory hook: Different houses, one cause.

Learning from a crisis

Suppose a company faces a huge strike, and afterwards changes its management, promises not to take over smaller partner firms, and reorganises its staff so that workers from one department are spread across many teams.

Which changes after 1857 does this resemble?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. New management: Company rule replaced by the Crown.
  2. Promise to partners: no more annexation of princely states.
  3. Reorganisation: the army mixed communities in regiments to prevent unity.

Answer: It resembles the changes after 1857: the Crown took over from the Company, the Queen's Proclamation ended annexations, and the army was reorganised to divide soldiers of different communities.

Memory hook: After the storm, new rulers and new rules.

Topics in this chapter

The Great Uprising of 1857: key facts

Spark
Mangal Pandey, Barrackpore: 29 March 1857; Meerut: 10 May 1857; Delhi: 11 May 1857
Enfield rifle cartridges.
Leaders
DelhiBahadur Shah Zafar, Bakht Khan
KanpurNana Saheb, Tantia Tope
LucknowBegum Hazrat Mahal
JhansiRani Lakshmibai
BiharKunwar Singh
FaizabadMaulvi Ahmadullah Shah
BareillyKhan Bahadur Khan
Suppression
Delhi retaken September 1857; Rani Lakshmibai killed June 1858; Tantia Tope executed 1859; Bahadur Shah Zafar died in Rangoon 1862
Consequences
Government of India Act 1858; Queen's Proclamation 1 November 1858; first Viceroy Lord Canning
No more annexations; army reorganised.

How the school exam asks The Great Uprising of 1857

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question typeHow it is askedMethod
Causes (4 marks)Explain the political / socio-religious / economic / military causes.One clear point per heading with a named fact: lapse, sati law, revenue, Enlistment Act.
Leaders (2-3 marks)Match leaders and centres; write a note on Rani Lakshmibai or Nana Saheb.Place, why the leader joined, what happened to them.
Consequences (4 marks)State the results of the uprising; terms of the Queen's Proclamation.Act of 1858, new offices, proclamation, army changes.
Nature (3-4 marks)Was the uprising a mutiny or a war of independence?Give each view with its reason, then a balanced conclusion.

Tricks to remember The Great Uprising of 1857

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • Causes: P-S-E-M

    'Please Stop Eating Mangoes': Political, Socio-religious, Economic, Military.

    Use it when: Structuring a causes answer.

  • Leaders on a map

    'Delhi's Bahadur, Kanpur's Nana, Lucknow's Begum, Jhansi's Rani, Bihar's Kunwar.'

    Use it when: Matching leaders and centres.

  • Proclamation promises: N-A-T-R

    No annexation, Adoption allowed, Treaties respected, Religion respected.

    Use it when: Terms of Queen Victoria's Proclamation.

The Great Uprising of 1857: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Where it began · 1 mark · MCQExam level

The uprising of 1857 began on 10 May at:
(a) Barrackpore
(b) Meerut
(c) Delhi
(d) Kanpur

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Mangal Pandey's act at Barrackpore (March) was an earlier incident.
  2. The revolt began at Meerut on 10 May 1857.

Answer: (b) Meerut.

Example 2: Assertion and reason: Awadh sepoys · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder exam level

Assertion (A): The annexation of Awadh caused great anger among the sepoys of the Bengal Army.
Reason (R): A large number of these sepoys came from Awadh.
(a) Both A and R are true and R explains A
(b) Both A and R are true but R does not explain A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Annexation of Awadh angered the sepoys: A is true.
  2. Many sepoys were from Awadh, so the annexation affected their families and lands: R explains A.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R explains A.

Example 3: Why Bahadur Shah Zafar? · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Why did the rebel sepoys proclaim Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader, though he was old and had little power?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. The Mughal emperor was still a respected symbol of authority across India.
  2. His name gave the revolt legitimacy and a common leader.
  3. It helped attract support from other rulers, nobles and people of different religions.

Answer: The Mughal emperor, though powerless, was still respected as a symbol of legitimate authority across India. By rallying behind him, the sepoys gave the revolt a common leader and legitimacy, which helped them win support from other rulers, nobles and people of different communities.

Example 4: Causes of failure · 4 marks · Long answerExam level

Give four reasons for the failure of the uprising of 1857.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Limited spread: most of south India, Bengal and Punjab remained largely quiet.
  2. Lack of unity and common plan among leaders, who fought mainly for local aims.
  3. Many rulers (such as the Sindhia of Gwalior and the Nizam of Hyderabad) and the modern educated class did not support it.
  4. British advantages: modern weapons, the telegraph, better resources and reinforcements.

Answer: (1) The revolt was limited mainly to north and central India; the south, Bengal and Punjab stayed largely quiet. (2) Leaders had no common plan and fought for local aims. (3) Many princes, such as the Sindhia and the Nizam, and most of the educated middle class did not support it. (4) The British had modern weapons, the telegraph for communication and large resources and reinforcements.

Example 5: Mutiny or war of independence? · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Was the uprising of 1857 merely a sepoy mutiny? Give arguments for and against.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. For 'mutiny': it began in the army and sepoys were its main fighting force.
  2. Against: princes, landlords, peasants and artisans also joined; civilians took part in many areas.
  3. Against: Hindus and Muslims fought together under the Mughal emperor against foreign rule.
  4. But: it lacked an all-India plan and modern national aims; conclusion - more than a mutiny, a popular revolt.

Answer: It can be called a mutiny because it began among sepoys, who were its core. But it was much more: princes, landlords, peasants and artisans joined in many areas, and Hindus and Muslims fought together under the Mughal emperor against foreign rule. However, it lacked an all-India plan and modern national aims. It is best seen as a widespread popular revolt rather than merely a mutiny.

Example 6: Queen's Proclamation · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

Why did the British promise in 1858 not to annex any more Indian states?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Annexations such as Awadh and Jhansi had been major causes of the revolt.
  2. Loyal princes had helped the British, so they wanted them as allies.

Answer: Annexations like those of Awadh and Jhansi had driven rulers into the revolt, while princes who stayed loyal had helped the British. So the British now wanted to keep the princes as allies, and promised to respect their territory and allow them to adopt heirs.

Example 7: Army reorganisation · 3 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

Explain how the British reorganised the army after 1857 to prevent another revolt.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Increased the proportion of British soldiers.
  2. Kept artillery and key positions in British hands.
  3. Recruited from groups they saw as loyal and mixed communities in regiments to prevent unity.

Answer: The British increased the proportion of British to Indian soldiers, kept artillery and other important positions under British control, and recruited more from groups they considered loyal, mixing soldiers of different communities in regiments so that they would not unite against them.

Case-study practice (Section B style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In a school exam set on the board pattern this is a 8-mark question split into 2 + 3 + 3 marks.

Picture-based: the Rani of Jhansi

Study the description of a famous painting and answer the questions.

A queen in armour rides a galloping horse, sword raised, with a small child tied to her back. Around her, soldiers fight British troops. The painting refers to events of 1857-1858.

  1. (i) · 2 marks

    Identify the queen and the state she ruled.

    Answer

    Answer: Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.

    1 mark for the name, 1 for Jhansi.

  2. (ii) · 3 marks

    Which British policy had led to the annexation of her state? Explain it.

    Answer

    Answer: The doctrine of lapse of Lord Dalhousie: if a ruler died without a natural male heir, the state passed to the Company and an adopted son could not inherit. Jhansi was annexed in 1854 after her husband's death, though they had adopted a son.

    1 mark for the policy, 1 for its meaning, 1 for its application to Jhansi.

  3. (iii) · 3 marks

    How did her role, and that of other leaders, show that 1857 was more than a sepoy mutiny?

    Answer

    Answer: Rulers such as Rani Lakshmibai, Nana Saheb and Begum Hazrat Mahal led the revolt along with sepoys, and peasants, landlords and artisans joined in many areas. This shows it was a wider revolt against British rule, not only a mutiny within the army.

    1 mark for other leaders, 1 for civilian participation, 1 for the conclusion.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

What was the immediate cause of the uprising of 1857? (2 marks) (2 marks)

StepMarks
Enfield rifle cartridges had to be bitten open.1
Rumour of cow and pig fat offended Hindus and Muslims.1

Name three leaders of the uprising and their centres. (3 marks) (3 marks)

StepMarks
Nana Saheb - Kanpur.1
Rani Lakshmibai - Jhansi.1
Begum Hazrat Mahal - Lucknow (or Kunwar Singh - Bihar).1

State the main terms of Queen Victoria's Proclamation, 1858. (4 marks) (4 marks)

StepMarks
No further annexation of Indian states.1
Princes allowed to adopt heirs; treaties respected.1
No interference in religion.1
Equal protection of law; pardon for rebels not guilty of murder.1

Where students lose marks in The Great Uprising of 1857

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Giving the cartridge rumour as the only cause

    It is the best-known story.

    Do this: Call it the immediate cause; list long-term causes under four headings.

    Usually costs: 2-3 marks in a causes question.

  • Mistake: Saying the uprising began at Barrackpore

    Mangal Pandey's act came first.

    Do this: Barrackpore (March) was an early incident; the revolt broke out at Meerut on 10 May 1857.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Writing that the Queen's Proclamation gave India self-government

    Over-reading its promises.

    Do this: It promised no annexations, religious freedom and equal treatment, not self-rule.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Giving a one-sided view of the nature of the uprising

    Students write only 'First War of Independence'.

    Do this: Present the mutiny, feudal-revolt and war-of-independence views, then conclude.

    Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

Practice questions on The Great Uprising of 1857

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level

    Who led the uprising at Lucknow?
    (a) Rani Lakshmibai
    (b) Begum Hazrat Mahal
    (c) Kunwar Singh
    (d) Tantia Tope

    Hint

    Mother of Birjis Qadr.

    Answer

    (b) Begum Hazrat Mahal.

  2. Q2 · 1 mark · MCQHarder exam level

    The first Viceroy of India after 1858 was:
    (a) Lord Dalhousie
    (b) Lord Canning
    (c) Lord Curzon
    (d) Lord Wellesley

    Hint

    Governor-General during the uprising.

    Answer

    (b) Lord Canning.

  3. Q3 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level

    Where was Bahadur Shah Zafar exiled?

    Hint

    Present-day Myanmar.

    Answer

    Rangoon (Yangon), Burma.

  4. Q4 · 2 marks · Very short answerExam level

    Who was Mangal Pandey?

    Hint

    Barrackpore.

    Answer

    A sepoy at Barrackpore who attacked his British officers on 29 March 1857 and was hanged; he became a symbol of the uprising.

  5. Q5 · 2 marks · Very short answerHarder exam level

    Why did the General Service Enlistment Act of 1856 upset sepoys?

    Hint

    Crossing the sea.

    Answer

    It required new recruits to serve overseas if ordered, and many sepoys believed that crossing the sea would make them lose their caste.

  6. Q6 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level

    Name the book in which V.D. Savarkar called 1857 a war of independence.

    Hint

    Published 1909.

    Answer

    The Indian War of Independence of 1857.

  7. Q7 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

    Why did the modern educated Indians not support the uprising?

    Hint

    What did they expect from British rule?

    Answer

    Many educated Indians at the time believed British rule would bring modern education, science and social reform. They saw the revolt as led by princes and landlords trying to restore old ways, so they did not support it, though they later led the national movement.

  8. Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerExam level

    What were the main provisions of the Government of India Act, 1858?

    Hint

    Crown, Secretary, Viceroy.

    Answer

    It ended the rule of the East India Company and transferred power to the British Crown; created the post of Secretary of State for India, with a council, to govern India from London; and made the Governor-General the Viceroy, the Crown's representative in India.

  9. Q9 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

    How did the economic policies of the British add to the discontent of peasants before 1857?

    Hint

    Revenue and debt.

    Answer

    High land revenue demands, collected strictly, forced peasants to borrow from moneylenders. Many could not repay and lost their lands, while taluqdars in Awadh lost estates after annexation. Ruined peasants and landlords therefore joined the revolt.

  10. Q10 · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

    Imagine you are a sepoy in 1857. Write two grievances you might have had and explain why the cartridge rumour made you join the revolt.

    Hint

    Pay, promotion, overseas service, religion.

    Answer

    Grievances: (1) I am paid much less than a British soldier and can never rise above junior rank. (2) Under the 1856 Act I could be sent overseas, which I believe would break my caste; and my home in Awadh has just been annexed. When I heard that the new cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat, I felt the British were attacking my religion as well, so I joined my comrades in revolt.

  11. Q11 · 2 marks · Very short answerHarder exam level

    Give two reasons why the uprising failed to spread to south India.

    Hint

    Rulers and armies.

    Answer

    The armies of the Madras and Bombay presidencies largely remained loyal, and major southern rulers such as the Nizam of Hyderabad supported the British.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.When did the sepoys at Meerut revolt?Show answer

    10 May 1857.

  2. 2.Who was the military commander of the rebels at Delhi?Show answer

    Bakht Khan.

  3. 3.Who was Nana Saheb?Show answer

    Adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II; led the revolt at Kanpur.

  4. 4.Which Act ended Company rule?Show answer

    The Government of India Act, 1858.

  5. 5.When was the Queen's Proclamation issued?Show answer

    1 November 1858.

  6. 6.Who led the revolt in Bihar?Show answer

    Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur.

Best order to study it

  1. Learn the four groups of causes with a fact for each.
  2. Learn the immediate cause and the events of March-May 1857.
  3. Learn the leaders and their centres.
  4. Learn the reasons for failure.
  5. Learn the consequences: 1858 Act, Proclamation, army.
  6. Practise a balanced answer on the nature of the uprising.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

  • Political: doctrine of lapse, Awadh 1856, Mughal title to end, Nana Saheb's pension stopped.
  • Socio-religious: fear of conversion, missionaries, sati abolition 1829, widow remarriage 1856, law of 1850, racial arrogance.
  • Economic: heavy revenue, debt, taluqdars lose estates, ruined artisans. Military: low pay, no promotion, Enlistment Act 1856, loss of bhatta.
  • Immediate: Enfield cartridges; Mangal Pandey 29 March; Meerut 10 May; Delhi 11 May, Bahadur Shah Zafar leader.
  • Leaders: Bakht Khan (Delhi), Nana Saheb and Tantia Tope (Kanpur), Begum Hazrat Mahal (Lucknow), Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi), Kunwar Singh (Bihar).
  • Results: Act of 1858 (Crown rule, Secretary of State, Viceroy Canning); Proclamation 1 November 1858; army reorganised. Nature: mutiny, feudal revolt or First War of Independence - best seen as a popular revolt.

The Great Uprising of 1857: frequently asked questions

Should I call it a mutiny, a revolt or a war of independence?

The curriculum calls it the Great Uprising. In a 'nature' question, explain all three views and give your own balanced conclusion.

Was the cartridge rumour true?

The British said the grease did not contain such fat and allowed sepoys to grease cartridges themselves, but sepoys did not trust them. What mattered was that they believed it, given their other grievances.

How much detail on the fighting is needed?

Know the main centres, leaders and what happened to the leaders, and when Delhi was recaptured. Detailed battles are not needed.

Based on: CISCE Curriculum for Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII), History and Civics (Class VIII); CISCE RDCD: Curriculum Pre-School to Class VIII