What steps did the British take to quell the uprising?
In 1857 a sepoy mutiny broke out in East India that became a mass uprising in many parts of the country. The Company had faced rebellions in the past too, but not of this magnitude and extent. The British rulers realised that unless the rebellions is suppressed, their empire was destined to fizzle out. They took swift measures to put down the flame of the rebellion, some were of military nature while others were of political nature.
The important measures taken by the British to suppress the rebellion are as follows:
1.Imposition of Marshal Law and large scale of execution: In north India where rebels were holding ground, Marshal Law was imposed. Apart from enforcing law, military officers also had the power to dispense justice and pronounce conviction and punishment. Thus, for all practical purposes, rebels and their sympathizers could be declared guilty without fair trial. The punishment was not just swift, cruel and partisan but in most cases execution. The execution was carried out in a manner that fear grips the masses. The people were blown up by canons, still others were hanged by trees. The objective was to terrorize the people and make them subservient to the might of the British empire.
2.Diplomacy: The British masters used diplomacy as tool to weaken and destroy the rebellions. They tried to win the support of native kingdoms who were not on the side of rebels , by promising them rewards and securing their kingdoms. The communities who were not involved in the mutiny, viz. Sikhs were recruited and sent to fight the rebels.
3.Use of technology: The British used technology to get an upper hand in the battle fields. Apart from having superior weapons, it was the superior communication system that routed the rebels. The company used telegram to instantly communicate with others, the rebels were totally clueless about such things. To conclude the British strategy and technique to defeat the rebels was multi¬pronged and superior to those employed by the rebels. It was natural that the rebels crumbled in course of time.
What do visual representations tell us about the revolt of 1857? How do historians analyse these representations?
Why was the revolt particularly widespread in Awadh? What prompted the peasants, taluqdars and zamindars to join the revolt?
Why did the mutinous sepoys in many places turn to erstwhile rulers to provide leadership to the revolt?
What did the rebels want? To what extent did the vision of different social groups differ?
Discuss the evidence that indicates planning and coordination on the part of the rebels.
What were the measures taken to ensure unity among the rebels?
Examine any two sources presented in the chapter, choosing one visual and one text, and discuss how these represent the point of view of the victor and the vanquished.
Discuss the extent to which religious beliefs shaped the events of 1857.
Why was the jotedar a powerful figure in many areas of rural Bengal?
To what extent are census data useful in reconstructing patterns of urbanisation in the colonial context?
How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the common people?
What did the Muslim League demand through its resolution of 1940?
What were the ideals expressed in the Objectives Resolution?
How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
What do the terms “White” and “Black” Town signify?
How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants?
Why did some people think of Partition as a very sudden development?
How was the term minority defined by different groups?
How did the Paharias respond to the coming of outsiders?
How was the term minority defined by different groups?
What historical forces shaped the vision of the Constitution?
Examine how concerns of defence and health gave shape to Calcutta.
Why is Partition viewed as an extremely significant marker in South Asian history?
Why were many zamindaris auctioned after the Permanent Settlement?
How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
What are the problems of using official sources in writing about the history of peasants?
What explains the anger of the Deccan ryots against Fig. 10.20 the moneylenders?
Why did the salt laws become an important issue of struggle?