When People Rebel – 1857 and After Class 8 Revision Notes CBSE History Chapter 5

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Last Updated on March 23, 2024 by XAM CONTENT

Here you will find revision notes for CBSE Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 5 When People Rebel – 1857 and After. It is a part of Revision Notes for CBSE Class 8 Social Science Series.

When People Rebel – 1857 and After Class 8 Revision Notes CBSE History Chapter 5 (PDF Download)

Notes

  • Since the mid-eighteenth century there was a decline in the power of nawabs.
  • Many ruling families tried to negotiate with the Company to protect their interests but in vain.
  • Awadh was one of the last territories to be annexed and was taken over in 1856 on the pretext of misgovernance.
  • The Company decided to put an end to the Mughal dynasty and in 1856, Governor-General Canning decided that Bahadur Shah Zafar would be the last Mughal king and after his death none of his descendants would be recognised as kings.
  • In the countryside, peasants and zamindars resented the high taxes and the rigid methods of revenue collection.
  • The soldiers were unhappy about their pay, allowances and conditions of service.
  • Meanwhile, many laws and reforms were being undertaken by the Company which was in turn resented by the Indians as they felt that the British were interfering in the religious matters and destroying the traditional culture of our land.
  • On 29 March 1857, a young soldier, Mangal Pandey, was hanged to death for attacking his officers in Barrackpore.
  • A few days days later, some sepoys of the regiment at Meerut refused to do the army drill using the new cartridges, which were suspected of being coated with the fat of cows and pigs.
  • The revolt started from Meerut when on 10 May, the soldiers marched to the jail and released the imprisoned sepoys. They attacked and killed British officers.
  • The sepoys reached Delhi the next morning with the hope of reinstating the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah as the ruler of India.
  • The soldiers in Delhi forced their way into the palace and proclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader.
  • The ageing emperor wrote letters to all the chiefs and rulers of the country to come forward and organise a confederacy of Indian states to fight the British.
  • The small rulers and chieftains were inspired and supported the emperor.
  • Regiments mutinied and took off to join other troops at nodal points like Delhi, Kanpur and Lucknow and the whole country joined the uprising.
  • Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the late Peshwa Baji Rao who lived near Kanpur, gathered armed forces and expelled the British garrison from the city and proclaimed himself Peshwa.
  • In Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai rebelled against the British along with Tantia Tope, who was the General of Nana Saheb.
  • The British were greatly outnumbered by the rebel forces and were defeated in a number of battles.
  • However, unnerved by the scale of the upheaval, the Company decided to fight back and brought reinforcements from England, passed new laws and then charged directly into the storm centres of the revolt.
  • Delhi was recaptured from the rebel forces in September 1857 and Bahadur Shah Zafar and his wife were sent to prison in Rangoon in October 1858.
  • Lucknow was taken in March 1858.
  • Rani Lakshmibai was defeated and killed in June 1858.
  • The British also tried their best to win back the loyalty of the people. They announced rewards for loyal landholders.
  • The British regained control of the country by the end of 1859 . They however, made some major reforms.
  • In 1858 , the British parliament passed a new act which transferred all the powers of the East India Company to the British Crown.
  • The Governor-General was given the title of Viceroy.
  • All ruling chiefs of the country were assured that their territory would never be annexed in future. They were allowed to pass on their kingdoms to their heirs, including adopted sons.
  • It was decided that the proportion of Indian soldiers in the army would be reduced and the number of European soldiers would be increased.
  • The British decided to respect the customary religious and social practices of the people in India.

Important Keywords

  • Erode (verb): To gradually destroy. Origin: Latin erodere.
  • Disbanded (verb): to end. Origin: Middle French desbander.
  • Mutiny: The situation when the soldiers as a group disobey the orders of their officers in the army is termed mutiny.
  • Triumphant (adj.): Resulting in victory or success. Origin: Latin triumphare.
  • Implications (noun): a future effect. Origin: Latin implicare.
  • Enthused (verb): filled with enthusiasm. Origin: back formation from enthusiasm.
  • Firangis: A name given to the foreigners (British) out of the contempt and hatred.
  • Garrison (noun): a military camp. Origin: Old French garir.
  • Sepoy: The soldiers
  • Sati: Former Hindu practice, a widow burning herself on her husband’s funeral pyre.
  • Suzerainty (noun): the dominion of a suzerain. Origin: French suzeraineté.

Important Dates

  • 1856 : The Governor-General Canning decided that Bahadur Shah Zafar would be the last Mughal king.
  • 1856 : the Company passed a new law which stated that every new person who took up employment in the Company’s army had to agree to serve overseas if required.
  • 1850 : a new law was passed to make conversion to Christianity easier.
  • May 1857 : The Revolt of 1857 started.
  • 29 March 1857 : A young soldier, Mangal Pandey, was hanged to death for attacking his officers in Barrackpore.
  • September 1857 : Delhi was recaptured from the rebel forces.
  • November 1862 : Bahadur Shah Zafar died in the Rangoon jail.
  • June 1858 : Rani Lakshmibai was defeated and killed.
  • 1858 : The British Parliament passed a new Act and transferred the powers of the East India Company to the British Crown.

We hope the given revision notes for When People Rebel – 1857 and After Class 8 helps you in your learning.

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CBSE Class 8 Social Science Revision Notes for all chapters

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