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The Great Indian Uprising of 1857 Facts & Worksheets

On May 10, 1857, the Great Indian Uprising took place, which was known by many names: the Indian Mutiny, the Sepoy Mutiny, and the First War of Independence.

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On May 10, 1857, the Great Indian Uprising took place, which was known by many names: the Indian Mutiny, the Sepoy Mutiny, and the First War of Independence. This rebellion, which involved native rulers and thousands of Indians, became the largest threat to the British Empire during its colonial rule on the Indian subcontinent. The uprising eventually ended the rule of the British East India Company and in the reformation of the army, marking the beginning of the long-standing struggle of many Indians towards independence.

See the fact file below for more information on the Great Indian Uprising of 1857 or alternatively, you can download our 26-page The Great Indian Uprising of 1857 worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

LEADING TOWARDS THE UPRISING

  • The roots of the great rebellion could be traced back to the long history of the intervention of the British Empire in Indian relations. Beginning in the 1600s, Great Britain and many other European powers had been interested in subduing India and establishing its commercial settlements at Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras (now known as Chennai) due to its thriving trade of spices and other raw materials like cotton.
  • Consequently, Portugal gained control of the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, the Netherlands and Britain followed thereafter. The British established the East India Company, which became the dominant trading company in the region.
  • When the Indian Muslim emperor allowed the company to expand its trading territories in Bengal in the year 1613, the British had furthered their colonial rule in India by bargaining with Indian princes and warlords.
  • Although Indian kings still had control of some territories after the collapse of the Mughal Empire, the majority of the Indian subcontinent was already under the rule of Great Britain by 1849, with the East India Company governing two-thirds of the region.
  • During the Crimean War that occurred in 1854-1856, Great Britain needed to cut some of its forces in India.
  • However, in order to ensure its hold on the territory, the British East India Company fortified the Bengal Army and hired 159,000 troops in 1857. Of this number, 135,000 were Indian sepoys (infantry) and sowars (cavalry), while 24,000 were Europeans.
  • The Indian people were likewise forced to change their way of life, especially in terms of religion since the British were trying to impose Christianity upon them, agitating many Hindus and Muslims.
  • Contrastingly, abolishing Hindu customs, including sati in which a widow sets herself on fire as part of a funeral rite, child marriage, and caste system were key changes.
  • Other reforms included the replacement of community elders (Panchayats) as justice-makers, the introduction of British education, and the promotion of English as the official language of the government.
  • Inevitably, the dissatisfaction against the British rule further grew among Indian people, particularly in soldiers who were serving in the Bengal Army.

THE UPRISING

  • The initial encounter happened when Sepoy Mangal Pandey of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry assaulted his officers on March 29, 1857 at Barrackpore. His fellow Indian soldiers did not stop him and instead supported him for an open rebellion, although it led to the disbandment of the entire regiment.
  • On May 10, 1857, the Great Indian Rebellion officially began at Meerut. Indian soldiers of the Bengal Army broke 85 imprisoned sepoys, who refused to use cartridges as they were against their religion, out of jail. The group likewise raided a military post and killed the British troops, which brutally escalated into killing British women and children.
  • Following this, Delhi was occupied by the mutineers. The city eventually became the main battleground of the rebellion since it was an important strategic position from Calcutta to Punjab.
  • The Indian mutineers also asked for the support of the former Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, which he hesitantly agreed to.
  • The British Empire initially responded by disarming members of the East India Company sepoy regiments to prevent further revolt. Since they only had 35,000 troops scattered in the entire subcontinent, the British needed to bring reinforcements from their other colonial territories which took months.
  • Meanwhile, the Madras and Bombay Armies, along with Sikhs, Punjabi Muslims, and Gurkhas gave their allegiance to Britain since they refused to be under the Mughal Empire again.
  • The following events saw the emergence of various uprisings in northern and central India. Aside from Delhi, the cities of Cawnpore, Lucknow, Jhansi, and Gwalior also became the main centers of the revolt.
  • Thousands of civilians and Indian locals joined the rebellion, and while there were progressive causes like abolishing the taxation system of the British East India Company and upholding the rights of the peasantry, both sides committed atrocities, often at the expense of women and children.
  • On June 7, 1857, around 4,000 men tried to retake Delhi through a ridge overlooking the city but rendered no success. From July to August 1857, the British were losing soldiers to cholera and were being attacked by about 30,000 mutineers.
  • When reinforcements came from Punjab, with a siege of artillery of 32 guns and around 2,000 soldiers on August 14, 1857, the British immediately took the offensive and killed hundreds of Indian rebels and civilians.
  • As the siege artillery broke through Delhi on September 14, 1857, and with 9,000 troops before them, the British Empire was able to retake the city for about a week.

CAWNPORE

  • The city of Cawnpore, located along the Ganges River, was a major trading territory of the British East India Company. On June 5, 1857, the deployed sepoys there revolted and attacked the regiment that was under the command of Major-General Sir Hugh Wheeler.
  • On June 25, 1857, an Indian local ruler named Nana Sahib, who lost his estate under British rule, talked with Commander Wheeler, who had already surrendered. Sahib then agreed to help the captured British soldiers and civilians to leave Cawnpore via riverboats, only for them to be ambushed and killed.
  • All male survivors were executed instantly. About 120 women and children survivors were held captive and eventually murdered.
  • On July 16, 1857, the British troops led by Major-General Sir Henry Havelock arrived at Cawnpore. The army immediately retaliated against the Indians, both guilty and innocent alike. This series of reprisals became known as the Devil’s Wind. Havelock, thereafter, advanced to the city of Lucknow, but retreated.
  • From July to November 1857, Cawnpore was at the hands of the British until Lieutenant-General Sir Colin Campbell travelled to Lucknow, leaving a small force to Brigadier Charles Windham.
  • Tatya Tope, the general of Sahib, saw this as an opportunity to retake Cawnpore and surrounded the British on November 26, 1857. Campbell then marched back to the city and provided help through his heavy naval guns.
  • By December 6, 1857, the Indians were defeated due to the deception of Windham’s opening attack, taking the mutineers by surprise.

AFTERMATH

  • As the British Empire recaptured all main centers of rebellion and defeated the last stand in the city of Gwalior, the Indian uprising officially ended.
  • Following this, the Indian government was handed over to the British Crown, and the British East India Company was abolished. The Crown’s representative served as the head of the government. The British also appointed a secretary of state for India.
  • Bahadur Shah was sentenced to exile in Burma after being found guilty of treason. In 1862, he died there, ending the Mughal Empire. In his absence, Queen Victoria was crowned Empress of India in 1877.
  • Moreover, Britain hired Indians belonging to the higher caste to serve in the government. The Civil Service became more open to Indians. The British likewise ended the imposition of Christianity on the Indian people.
  • Furthermore, military changes happened as recruitment included Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs, Gurkhas, Baluchis, and Pathans, instead of high-caste Hindus who were involved in the uprising. The British balanced the ratio of British to Indian troops in order to prevent any future revolt.

The Great Indian Uprising of 1857 Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Great Indian Uprising of 1857 across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use The Great Indian Uprising of 1857 worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the reat Indian Uprising which was known by many names: the Indian Mutiny, the Sepoy Mutiny, and the First War of Independence. This rebellion, which involved native rulers and thousands of Indians, became the largest threat to the British Empire during its colonial rule on the Indian subcontinent. The uprising eventually ended the rule of the British East India Company and in the reformation of the army, marking the beginning of the long-standing struggle of many Indians towards independence.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • The Great Indian Uprising of 1857 Facts
  • Locating India
  • Find the Words
  • The Causes Behind the Mutiny
  • The Sepoy Mutiny: A timeline
  • The First War of Independence
  • Cawnpore
  • Source Analysis
  • The Great Indian Uprising of 1857: Its Significance
  • India: Then and Now
  • In a Nutshell

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