A Short Note On First War Of Independence Against British

The first war of independence was witnessed in the year 1857. This freedom struggle for the Indian citizens is considered one of the most defining moments. The East India Company’s Indian soldiers’ reaction to the new cartridge they had to use caused this series of events. The British government was seizing numerous states, kingdoms and taking land taxes. The displeasure caused by this tax became another chief reason behind the events that followed. People wanted to get rid of foreign rule and gain freedom from the British individuals. 

Cause of the first war of independence against the British

The introduction of the Enfield rifle became the chief reason behind the triggering of the first war of independence. Before being loaded into the gun, the cartridge had to be removed. It was believed that the Indian soldiers greased the cartridge. They believed that the grease used was made from cow or pig fat. Harming these animals was against the sentiments of Muslim and Hindu individuals. The revolt of 1857 began from this point onwards. The Indian sepoys were enraged against the British due to the ‘Enfield’ rifle.

Social causes of the first war of independence against the British

1. Economic reasons: the peasants were affected heavily by the reforms in the revenue system and the taxation. Several administrative policies were introduced and imposed by the British government to expand their territory.
2. Political cause: the unjust policies due to the British expansion caused the loss of power of the Zamindars and the Nawabs in various places across India. The unfair policies such as the policy of indirect subordination, Trade and Commerce, and the policy of war and annexation made the rulers the victims of expansion by the British. 

The leaders of the revolt of 1857

Some of the leaders of the revolt of 1857 are mentioned below:

Why did the revolt of 1857 collapse?

The revolt of 1857 began with the purpose of ousting the British from India, but the purpose remained unfulfilled due to the following reasons:

1. Three presidencies of Bombay, Madras, and Bengal remained unaffected for the most part. Northern India was affected majorly by this revolt. 
2. No plan for after the defeat of the British was prepared by the leaders of the revolt of 1857. They did not envision any plan. 
3. No coherent plan was followed for getting the British to leave India. Other than the lack of coherency, a single leader was lacking. This movement was followed by many leaders across different parts of India. 

Impact of the revolt of 1857

The first war of independence against the British is considered one of the most important markings in Indian History. Let us go through the impact of this historical movement:

1. This revolt exposed the hollowness of the East India company’s rule in India. The British government decided to abolish the rule of the East India Company since it could not afford to lose India by hook or crook. After this, the British Parliament guided the direct government that was installed. 
2. The backbone of British rule in India was shaken to its roots due to the intensity of the revolt in 1857. Even though the revolt remained confined to smaller parts, the intensity caused by it was huge. 
3. It proved that the East India Company was just a trading organisation that did not have the ability and efficiency to tackle the Indian administration.
4. The rule of East India Company in India for over 100 years marked the zenith of exploitation. The exploitation by the British marked all directions, that is, economic, political, and social. 

   Conclusion:

   This article has been written to shed light on the first war of independence against the British in 1857. The causes behind the triggering of the revolt of 1857, the impact of the war, the leaders of the first war of independence against the British, and why the revolt failed in getting them to leave India have been mentioned in the article written above. Multiple religious, economic, political, and social reasons were behind the beginning of this movement that could not fulfil its purpose but still left a wave of freedom.