History & Civics
The culmination of discontent against the British rule came with the Great Revolt of 1857. With reference to this, answer the following questions:
(i) What was Doctrine of Lapse? Name the queen who became a victim of this policy.
(ii) Mention any three economic causes of the Revolt.
(iii) Mention any four administrative changes made by the British after the Revolt.
Revolt 1857
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Answer
(i) According to Doctrine of Lapse, if an Indian ruler died without a male heir his kingdom would come under the Company's territory in India.
The Queen of Jhansi, Rani Laxmi Bai became a victim of this policy.
(ii) Three economic causes of the Revolt were as follows:
- Decay of Cottage Industries and handicrafts — Heavy duties on Indian silk and cotton, disappearance of traditional patrons and buyers like the princes, chieftains and zamindars, decline of the traditional art of spinning and weaving lead to the decay of Cottage Industries and handicrafts making life of artisans miserable.
- Economic Decline of Peasantry — The peasantry bore the heavy burden of taxes to to provide money for the trade of the Company, for the cost of administration and the wars of British expansion in India. The economic decline of the peasants affected cultivation and led to many famines.
- Exploitation of Economic Resources — The British exploited the Indian resources for their own benefits. They made agricultural India an economic colony to serve the interests of industrial England.
(iii) The most significant result of the uprising of 1857 was the end of the rule of the East India Company and assumption of the Government of India directly by the Crown. This was done by the Government of India Act of 1858 which had the following provisions-
- It transferred the power to govern India from the East India Company to the British Crown.
- The Company's Board of Control and Court of Directors were abolished. The power was to be exercised by the Secretary of State for India, aided by a Council. The Secretary of State was a member of the British Cabinet and was responsible to the Parliament. Thus, the ultimate power over India remained with the British Parliament.
- Actual governance was to be carried on, as before, by the Governor-General who was also given the title of Viceroy or Crown's personal representative.
- Appointments to the Civil Service were to be made by open competition under rules made by the Secretary of State.
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