After the Revolt 1857 Ncert Class 8th

AFTER THE REVOLT 1857- WHEN PEOPLE REBEL (1857 AND AFTER)

• The company got worried about its loose hold on the rebellion and thus it brought reinforcements from England, passed new laws.
• The storm centres of revolts were targeted and Delhi was recaptured in September 1857, Bahadur Shahs was tried in court and given life imprisonment.
• Bahadur Shah Zafar and his wife Begum Zinat Mahal were sent to jail in Rangoon and in November 1862 Zafar died there.

• Lucknow was taken in 1858. Rani Laxmibai and Avantibai were defeated and killed. Tantia Tope fled to jungles but later was captured, tried and killed in 1859.
• The defeat of rebels, deserted the rebellion, Britishers tried to gain back the loyalty and announced rewards for loyal landholders, they were given rights over their lands.
• The ones who rebelled were told that if they had not killed any white people, they would remain safe and their rights and claims to land would not be denied.
• Hundreds of sepoys, rebels, nawabs and rajas instead were tried and killed.
• By 1859, the British had gained control of the country, but they could not carry on ruling the land with the same politics as before.
• The major changes introduced by the British were:

a) The British parliament passed the Act of 1858, according to which the powers of the East India Company were transferred to the British crown for more responsible management.

       b) A member of the British Cabinet was appointed Secretary of State for India and made responsible for all matters related to the governance of India, and was given a council to advise him.

       c) The Governor-General of India was given the title of Viceroy, that is, a personal representative of the Crown.

        d) All ruling chiefs of the country were assured that their territory would never be annexed in future, but they have to hold their kingdoms as subordinates of the British Crown.

         e) It was decided that the proportion of Indian soldiers in the army would be reduced and the number of European soldiers would be increased.

         f) More soldiers would be recruited from among the Gurkhas, Sikhs and Pathans, instead of recruiting soldiers from Awadh, Bihar, central India and south India.

         g) The land and property of Muslims were confiscated on a large scale and they were treated with suspicion and hostility, and they were believed to be the cause for the rebellion.

         h) The British decided to respect the customary religious and social practices of the people in India.

         i) Policies was made to protect landlords and zamindars and give them the security of rights over their lands.

This act was called the Government of India Act, 1858.