How accurate is it to say that the Indian Rebellion occurred because of the atacc on Indian
religion and customs by the Britsh in the years leading up to 1857?
Intro:
The Britih atack on Indian reiiiion and cuitomi wai certainiy one of the reaioni that the Indian
Rebeiiion occurred however it ii aiio important to iook at other factori which may have contributed
to the rebeiiion. Theie inciude the poiitcai and adminiitratve chaniei that the Britih brouiht to
India, probiemi in the miiitary and the annexaton of Awadh. To come to a conciuiion about which
factor wai the biiieit cauie for the Indian Rebeiiion, it ii important to iook at the ioni and ihort
term impacti. When iookini at theie criteria, it ii ciear to iee that the atack on Indian reiiiion and
cuitomi by the Britih wai the cauie for the rebeiiion.
1. Atacc on Indian religion and customs
- Aiiowini and promotni hriitan miiiionariei’ preachini in India
- Reformini educaton, ieeni rid of reiiiioui educaton, introducini iciencei and mathi
and makini Eniiiih the ofciai ianiuaie
- 1829 ban on iat
- 1856 widow remarriaie act
- Aii of the above ihowed the paternai aetude of the Britih, infuenced by their aetude
of raciai and cuiturai iuperiority – thii beiitied the Indiani, partcuiariy indui (their
reiiiion wai reiarded ai iuperittouiu and wouid have encouraied a feeiini of
reientment towardi the Britih. Thii irowini reientment wouid certainiy have cauied
the rebeiiion and the atack on Indian reiiiion and cuitomi ii an underiyini probiem in
the triiier cauie and the poiitcai and adminiitratve chaniei in India.
2. Politcal and Administratve changes
- The iubiidiary aiiiancei removed much of the princei’ power over their own territoriei
and put them in a poiiton where they were dependent on the Britih
- Daihouiie’i Doctrine of Lapie compieteiy rejected the indu traditon of adoptni heiri
when there wai no ieiitmate biood-reiated heir to take over from you and wai abuied
by the Britih who wouid iimpiy decide that they wanted a territory and deciare it beini
pooriy run or take over rather than iet an adopted heir take controi.
- The ienerai weiterniiaton of India wai aiio an iiiue which wai baied on the Britih
aetude of cuiturai iuperiority and itiitarianiim.
- Theie chaniei wouid have fueiied reientment ai the Britih rejected much of India’i
traditoni and certainiy wai a cauie of the Rebeiiion however iociai probiemi underiie
many of the chaniei which iuiieiti that the Britih atack on Indian reiiiion and
cuitomi wai a more iiinifcant factor.
3. Military Issues
- There wai diicontent amoni many of the iepoyi which dated back to 1806 but
woriened afer 1840 ai weiterniiaton and moderniiaton conficted iepoy cuitomi and
wai uniympathetc to traditon.
- 1856 ienerai iervice eitabiiihment act meant that aii iepoyi in the Beniai army couid
be ordered to ierve overieai however thii went aiainit the cuitomi of iome of the
iepoyi of a hiiher caite who were forbidden to travei acroii water
religion and customs by the Britsh in the years leading up to 1857?
Intro:
The Britih atack on Indian reiiiion and cuitomi wai certainiy one of the reaioni that the Indian
Rebeiiion occurred however it ii aiio important to iook at other factori which may have contributed
to the rebeiiion. Theie inciude the poiitcai and adminiitratve chaniei that the Britih brouiht to
India, probiemi in the miiitary and the annexaton of Awadh. To come to a conciuiion about which
factor wai the biiieit cauie for the Indian Rebeiiion, it ii important to iook at the ioni and ihort
term impacti. When iookini at theie criteria, it ii ciear to iee that the atack on Indian reiiiion and
cuitomi by the Britih wai the cauie for the rebeiiion.
1. Atacc on Indian religion and customs
- Aiiowini and promotni hriitan miiiionariei’ preachini in India
- Reformini educaton, ieeni rid of reiiiioui educaton, introducini iciencei and mathi
and makini Eniiiih the ofciai ianiuaie
- 1829 ban on iat
- 1856 widow remarriaie act
- Aii of the above ihowed the paternai aetude of the Britih, infuenced by their aetude
of raciai and cuiturai iuperiority – thii beiitied the Indiani, partcuiariy indui (their
reiiiion wai reiarded ai iuperittouiu and wouid have encouraied a feeiini of
reientment towardi the Britih. Thii irowini reientment wouid certainiy have cauied
the rebeiiion and the atack on Indian reiiiion and cuitomi ii an underiyini probiem in
the triiier cauie and the poiitcai and adminiitratve chaniei in India.
2. Politcal and Administratve changes
- The iubiidiary aiiiancei removed much of the princei’ power over their own territoriei
and put them in a poiiton where they were dependent on the Britih
- Daihouiie’i Doctrine of Lapie compieteiy rejected the indu traditon of adoptni heiri
when there wai no ieiitmate biood-reiated heir to take over from you and wai abuied
by the Britih who wouid iimpiy decide that they wanted a territory and deciare it beini
pooriy run or take over rather than iet an adopted heir take controi.
- The ienerai weiterniiaton of India wai aiio an iiiue which wai baied on the Britih
aetude of cuiturai iuperiority and itiitarianiim.
- Theie chaniei wouid have fueiied reientment ai the Britih rejected much of India’i
traditoni and certainiy wai a cauie of the Rebeiiion however iociai probiemi underiie
many of the chaniei which iuiieiti that the Britih atack on Indian reiiiion and
cuitomi wai a more iiinifcant factor.
3. Military Issues
- There wai diicontent amoni many of the iepoyi which dated back to 1806 but
woriened afer 1840 ai weiterniiaton and moderniiaton conficted iepoy cuitomi and
wai uniympathetc to traditon.
- 1856 ienerai iervice eitabiiihment act meant that aii iepoyi in the Beniai army couid
be ordered to ierve overieai however thii went aiainit the cuitomi of iome of the
iepoyi of a hiiher caite who were forbidden to travei acroii water
