Page 54 - SST Class 08

plundered the treasury and burnt land records at leaders. They did so because land revenue
many pieces. system of the British oppression and injustice.

However, the superior British forces soon sup- The peasant leaders had their own network of
pressed the revolt. Bahadur Shah II proved to be intelligence collection. Like many other martyrs
a weak leader. Delhi was recaptured on 20th Shah Mal was killed in July 1857.
September 1857 by John Nicholson. Bahadur CAUSES OF THE FAILURE
Shah was arrested and deported to Rangoon g The revolt was highly localized and
where he died in 1862. The rebels were defeated restricted to North India. Regions beyond
by General Havelock in Kanpur. Nana Saheb the river Narmada in the south remained
after being defeated refused to surrender and largely undisturbed.
escaped to Nepal. At Jhansi, Hugh Rose sup-
g The revolt failed to embrace all the sections
pressed the revolt and Rani Laxmi Bai died on
of the society. Many of the native rulers and
the battle field. Benaras, Bareilly and Gwalior
the big Zamindars refused to join the revolt
were also recaptured by British officers.
against the British. They extended an active
support to the British to suppress the revolt.
Modern educated Indians were suspicious
Slang and Slur
of the rebels. They feared the opposition of
Slang is used informally to describe someone or a
the rebels in bringing about social reforms.
particular group of people. A slur is slang, but may
g The revolt was poorly organised and lacked
damage the reputation of other persons. It has racial
overtones. Take for example, Kafir. It is an Arabic coordinated planning amongst the leaders.
word. The word describes any non-muslim person in g The rebels lacked a common cause and had
a derogatory way. The British themselves used the different goals. At most places, the rebels
word during Boer Wars in Africa. The British soldiers were encouraged to revolt against the local
used the word ‘kafir’ to describe any non-Arabic Zamindars and moneylenders and did not
speaker. Discuss: have a larger goal to pursue. They lacked a
1. Why the British in India were called Firangis Gora spirit of nationalism.
and Kafir?
g The British had better resources and suc-
2. Do we use similar words during cricket match
ceeded in suppressing the revolt. They had
today?
vast resources at their disposal and were
helped by the modern means of transport
Elite and Peasant Participation
and communications. They also had the
in the Revolt
services of capable generals as Havelock,
The peasants had joined the rebels in 1857.
Outram and Lawrence available who could
They, however, did not take any initiatives or
plan the suppression of the revolt well and
could not be better organised against the might
win back their lost regions.
of the British Army. Many leaders of peasants,
Aftermath of First War of Independence
tribal and Zamindars mobilised the villagers for
After the Indian soldiers finally surrendered on
participation in the revolt. For example, the Shah
June 20, 1858, the British ended both the East
Mal a small ‘Jat Zamindar’ of Bijraul in Uttar
India Company and the Mughal Empire.
Pradesh and Goonoo, a tribal cultivator of
Deposed Emperor Bahadur Shah was sent to
Singhbhum in Chotanagpur became rebel

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