The Revolt of 1857 was a conscious beginning of the independence struggle against the British. With reference to this, answer the following questions:
What was the Doctrine of Lapse? Who introduced it?
Topic: Doctrine of Lapse
Answer
The Doctrine of Lapse was a policy under which, if an Indian ruler died without a natural heir, his adopted son could not succeed to the throne, and the state "lapsed" to — that is, was annexed by — the British Empire.
It was introduced by Lord Dalhousie. Satara, Jhansi, Nagpur, Sambalpur and Udaipur were annexed under it.
Give the definition, the name, and at least one example — three marks means three pieces of substance. The word that carries the meaning is ADOPTED: Indian custom allowed adoption, and the British refused to recognise it. Jhansi is the example worth naming, because Rani Lakshmibai’s resulting grievance links this policy straight to the Revolt — which is why the question asks it in a 1857 context.