Unit 3: Glimpses of the Past

Yes, the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach to the events of 1757 as they failed to see and understand the bad intentions of the British rulers. The British slowly became virtual rulers who tried to capture the whole country by winning the confidence of princes and helping them win small battles against other local princes.

The East India Company spread their business by importing machine-manufactured items from England and selling them extensively. The Indian princes were constantly at loggerheads and fighting with each other. Due to this, they took the help of the English merchants to fight their counterparts. The ordinary people lost peace due to these constant fights. These rivalries indirectly helped the East India Company subdue the Indian princes one at a time and slowly gain complete control over the masses.

Ram Mohan Roy told his wife Uma, “Cows are of different colours, but the colour of their milk is the same. Different teachers have different opinions but the essence of every religion is the same.”

The British exploited Indians in several ways. They imposed high taxes on the peasants, reduced the import duty on goods manufactured in England and imported those to India and cut the thumbs of expert artisans and ruined their business.

1. Tipu Sultan of Mysore fought pitched battles against the British and died fighting.
2. Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a learned man from Bengal, wanted to reform society.
3. Macaulay, an Englishman, recommended the introduction of English education in India.
4. Two popular leaders who led the revolt were Maulvi Ahmedulla of Faizabad and Peshwa Nana Saheb.

1. Child marriage and untouchability.
2. Firstly, the British did not impose any import duty on goods manufactured in England and this crippled the Indian cottage industries. Secondly, the British continued to oppress Indians in 1818 by passing the Regulation III, under which an Indian could be jailed without trial in a court.
3. The farmers were heavily taxed by the British, and the thumbs of the skilled artisans were cut to ruin their business.
4. Given below are the four reasons for the discontent that led to the 1857 War of Independence:
5. In Bengal, the Santhals lost their lands under new British land rules, and they became desperate and rose in rebellion and massacred Europeans in 1855.
6. The Indian sepoys of the British army were discontent and angry as the white soldiers were getting huge pay, and mansions to live in along with servants.
7. The Brahmin soldiers were furious when they came to know that the grease on the bullet that they were biting was made from the fat of cows and pigs.
8. Many landlords were sore because they had lost their lands and estates due to the harsh British policies.