The Early Nationalists, also known as the Moderates, were a group of political leaders in India active between 1885 and 1907. Their emergence marked the beginning of the organised national movement in India. Some of the important moderate leaders were Pherozeshah Mehta and Dadabhai Naoroji.

The people were dissatisfied with British rule in the 1870s and 1880s due to the following reasons: The British were exercising control over the resources of India and the lives of its people. In 1878, the Arms Act was passed under which Indians were not allowed to possess arms.

The main event which became the immediate cause of the war was the refusal of the Sepoys to use the grease covered cartridges (greased with fat of pig and cow) on January 23, 1857. At the same time, an Indian sepoy killed two British officers at Barrackpore, when he was forced to use greased cartridges.

The mutiny broke out in the Bengal army because it was only in the military sphere that Indians were organized. The pretext for revolt was the introduction of the new Enfield rifle. To load it, the sepoys had to bite off the ends of lubricated cartridges.

Answer. The modern educated Indians also did not support the Revolt. They were repelled by the rebels’ appeals to superstitions and their opposition to progressive social measures. The educated Indians wanted to end the backwardness of the country.

The peasants suffered due to high revenue demands and the strict revenue collection policy. Artisans and craftsmen were ruined by the large-scale influx of cheap British manufactured goods into India which, in turn, made their hand-made goods uneconomical to produce.

Sen’s Observations on the Revolt of 1857: He was of the opinion that it was nothing but a military revolt. S.N. Sen called this revolt a ‘Sepoy Mutiny’.

Indian Rebellion of 1857

The most significant result of the uprising of 1857 was the end of the rule of the East India Company and assumption of the Government of India directly by the Crown. This was done by the Government of India Act of 1858.

The main political cause for the great revolt of 1857 was the policy of Doctrine of Lapse. It was an annexation policy purportedly used by Lord Dalhousie as per which any princely state or territory under the British East India Company would automatically be annexed if the ruler died without a male heir.

This War was fought in 1857 by Indians against the British in order to get rid of their domination. It is also given names as Indian Rebellion, Indian Mutiny as well as Indian Revolt. The main causes of the War were political, social, economical, military and religious.

The fear of the native rulers that their states would be taken over by the English, the resentment of the people of the annexed states and the occasional disrespect shown to Bahadur Shah, the Mughal emperor by the English constituted the political causes.

Following are three important causes for the First War of Independence:

• Doctrine of Lapse: Lord Dalhousie successfully annexed many Indian states to the English East India Company.
• Policy of Expansion – The British authorities annexed many independent Indian states on one pretext or the other.

The immediate cause was the introduction of Enfield rifles. There was a rumor that the cartridges to be used for the rifles were greased with the fat of cows and pigs. This sparked off the Mutiny.

Economic Causes of 1857 Revolt

• Destruction of Agriculture. Under the British rule, there was a severe deterioration of the condition of Indian agriculture.
• Permanent Settlement System.
• Resentment Among Zamindars.
• Heavy Taxation.
• Destruction of Traditional Industries.
• Destruction of Trade.
• Protectionist Policies.
• Conclusion.

Causes

• The Founding of the Colonies.
• French and Indian War.
• Taxes, Laws, and More Taxes.
• Protests in Boston.
• Intolerable Acts.
• Boston Blockade.
• Growing Unity Among the Colonies.
• First Continental Congress.