IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : India History From Mid 18th to Mid 19th Century - Revolt of 1857 Caurse and Aftermath

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History India From Mid 18th to Mid 19th Century

Revolt of 1857 Caurse and Aftermath

Structure

31.0 Objectives
31.1 Introduction
31.2 Course
31.3 The Revolt of the Army
31.4 The Revolt of the People
31.5 Rebel Institutions
31.6 Suppression
31.7 Aftermath
31.7.1 Landlords
31.7.2 Princes
31.7.3 The Army
31.8 British Policy
31.9 Let Us Sum Up
31.10 Key Words
31.1 1 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

31.0 OBJECTIVES

Having analysed the causes and the nature of the revolt of 1857 in the previous Unit
we now chart out the course of the revolt and its aftermath. After going through this
Unit you should learn about:

the progress of the revolt between May and June'57 and the months thereafter,
the intensity of the revolt even after the fall of Delhi in September 1857,
the institutions that the rebels evolved,
the efforts that went into its suppression,
the post-'57 restructuring of agrarian relations, and
colonial policy towards'princes and Muslims.

31.1 INTRODUCTION

Between May and June 1857 it was only some beleaguered cities like Agra, Lucknow,
Allahabad and Benares that kept alive evidence of British presence in north India. By
then the revolt had spread to Awadh, Rohilkhand, Bundelkhand, Bihar and many
parts of central India.
This Unit introduces you to the pattern of the progress of the revolt, its manifestations
not only in terms of the destruction of symbols of colonial authority but rebel
institutions that followed the outbreak.
Though British victory became clear in early 1858 it was only in the end of theyear
that the revolt was fully crushed with a combination of military strategy and,
reinforcements from England. This Unit provides an useful base for an understanding
of British policy in the decades that followed regarding social classes, Indian states
and Muslims.