The Revolt of 1857 was a conscious beginning of the independence struggle against the British. With reference to this, answer the following questions:
Mention any four military causes which led to this Revolt.
Topic: Military causes of the Revolt
Answer
(1) Discrimination in pay and promotion — an Indian sepoy was paid far less than a British soldier of the same rank, and however able he was, he could rise no higher than the rank of Subedar. (2) The General Service Enlistment Act of 1856 required sepoys to serve anywhere, including overseas; crossing the sea meant loss of caste for a Hindu. (3) The withdrawal of the foreign service allowance (batta) and the annexation of Awadh, from which a large part of the Bengal army was recruited, caused deep resentment. (4) The immediate cause — the greased cartridges of the new Enfield rifle, which had to be bitten open and were believed to be greased with the fat of cows and pigs, offending Hindus and Muslims alike.
Four marks means four distinct causes, one mark each — so number them and do not let one point sprawl. Keep the greased cartridge for last and label it the IMMEDIATE cause: it was the spark, while the other three were the accumulated grievances. Mangal Pandey’s refusal at Barrackpore in March 1857 is the incident to cite if you want to anchor it. The 1856 Act and the annexation of Awadh are the two details candidates most often omit.