7.2    The Great Rebellion of 1857

.  The Great Rebellion of (First War of Indian Independence) In , British rule witnessed the biggest challenge to its existence. Initially, it began as a mutiny of Bengal presidency sepoys but later expanded to the other parts of India involving a large number of civilians, especially peasants. The events of – are significant for the following reasons: . This was the first major revolt of armed forces accompanied by civilian rebellion. . The revolt witnessed unprecedented violence, perpetrated by both sides. . The revolt ended the role of the East India Company and the governance of the Indian subcontinent was taken over by the British Crown. (a) Causes . Annexation Policy of British India In the 1840s and 1850s, more territories were annexed through two major policies: The Doctrine of Paramountcy. British claimed themselves as paramount, exercising supreme authority. New territories were annexed on the grounds that the native rulers were inept. The Doctrine of Lapse. If a native ruler did not have male heir to the throne, the territory was to ‘lapse’ into British India upon the death of the ruler. Satara, Sambalpur, parts of the Punjab, Jhansi and Nagpur were annexed by the British through the Doctrine of Lapse. . Insensitivity to Indian Cultural Sentiments In , the sepoys at Vellore mutinied against the new dress code, which prohibited Anti-Colonial Movements and the Birth of Nationalism E W N S Not to Scale Allahabad