Modern History
UPSCSSCState PSC
Revolt of 1857: Causes, Key Leaders, and Aftermath
High-yield prelims & mains revision notes on the 1857 Revolt. Covers doctrine of lapse, Enfield rifle controversy, storm centers, and Queen Victoria Proclamation.
| Storm Center | Indian Leader | British General who Suppressed |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | Bahadur Shah II & General Bakht Khan | John Nicholson, Hudson |
| Kanpur | Nana Saheb & Tantia Tope | Sir Colin Campbell |
| Lucknow | Begum Hazrat Mahal | Sir Colin Campbell |
| Jhansi | Rani Lakshmibai | Sir Hugh Rose |
| Bihar (Jagdishpur) | Kunwar Singh | William Taylor, Vincent Eyre |
| Bareilly | Khan Bahadur Khan | Sir Colin Campbell |
1. Historiography & Multi-Faceted Causes
The uprising was not a sudden explosion but the culmination of a century of colonial exploitation across economic, political, and socio-religious domains...
2. Strategic Turning Points & Post-1857 Administrative Shift
- Government of India Act 1858: Liquidation of Company rule, assumption by Crown.
- Peel Commission (1859): Army reorganization on communal and regional lines to avoid future pan-Indian mutiny.