History & Civics
Describe briefly the results of the Great Uprising of 1857 in the political and constitutional fields pertaining to
(a) end of the Company's rule.
(b) abolition of Peshwaship and the Mughal Line.
(c) policy of 'Divide and Rule'.
(d) rise of nationalism.
Answer
(a) The first and most important result of the Uprising was that the hundred years old Company's Rule in India came to an end. The Board of Control was abolished and the Board of Directors was stripped of all its powers. Now the Government of India passed into the hands of the British Queen and the Parliament, who appointed a Secretary of State for India to look after the administration of India.
The Secretary of State of India was a member of the British Cabinet. A 15 member Council, eight of whose members were appointed by the Queen and seven by the Directors of the Company, was constituted to aid and advise the Secretary of State. His office was in London but all his expenditures were met by the Indian Government.
(b) The adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II, Nana Sahib had taken an active part in the Uprising of 1857 but he had voluntarily escaped into Nepal after the failure of the Great Uprising without any intention to return. The office of the Peshwa was abolished.
In the same way the title of the Mughal Emperor was abolished following the death of Bahadur Shah II, who had been actively associated with the Great Uprising. Thus, ended the line of the Great Mughals founded by Babur in 1526.
(c) The British started following the policy of 'Divide and Rule' as unity of the Indians was considered harmful to the imperialistic designs of the English. The British alienated the rulers from their subjects by according them special protections and by allowing them several concessions. Thus, the Indian rulers were led to the ruinous path of luxurious life and they began to disregard the vital interests of their people. The English also encouraged hatred and ill-feeling among the various sections, especially the Hindus and the Muslims, so that they would never unite again to pose threat to the British Rule in India.
(d) The Great Uprising of 1857 was the first struggle of the Indian people for freedom from British imperialism. It paved the way for the rise of the national movement. The sacrifices made by Rani Laxmi Bai, Nana Sahib and Mangal Pandey served as a source of inspiration for the future freedom fighters. The heroic struggle also established valuable traditions of resistance to the British rule. The sacrifices of the Indian leaders gave birth to the nationalist movement.
Related Questions
How far were the following responsible for the Great Uprising of 1857?
(a) The native rulers.
(b) The Jagirdars and the Zamindars.
(c) The educated Indians.
(d) The sepoys of the British army.
There were many causes for the Great Uprising of 1857. In this context, state the following.
(a) Policy of economic exploitation.
(b) Military causes.
(c) Political causes.
Discuss the changes brought by the Great Uprising of 1857 in the army with reference to:
(a) amalgamation of troops of the Crown and the Company.
(b) number of European troops.
(c) artillery and other effective weapons.
(d) expenditure on the army.
Discuss the changes brought by the Great Uprising of 1857 in the policy of the British Government in the social, religious and economic fields with reference to:
(a) religious freedom.
(b) admittance of Indians to service.
(c) relations between the Europeans and the Indians.
(d) economic exploitation.