Essay On Sepoy Rebellion

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On May 10, 1857, the sepoys (British-employed Indian soldiers) shot their British officers and marched towards Delhi, initiating one of the biggest uprisings in the 19th century. Within 18 months, the sepoy revolt spread from Meerut to Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, and Lucknow. However, the rebellion was not just a mutiny, its root cause lies in sepoy resentment towards British dominance. Since 1820, the British have been using a variety of tactics to assert their authority in Indian political, economic, and cultural life. One notable British technique was called the doctrine of lapse. This method involved replacing old Indian aristocracy with British officials. Another notorious rumor involved the use of pig and cow fat to lubricate musket cartridges. This use of animal fat was a direct insult to both Muslim and Hindu sepoys; although, there was no conclusive evidence that supports this claim. …show more content…

Moreover, the mutineers were ruthless; they were responsible for massacres at Delhi, Kanpur and elsewhere. They slaughtered men, women, and children both from European and Indian descent. The revolt quickly turned into a racial war; the sepoy sought to murder all Christians and the British retaliated with racial hostilities. Finally, the rebellion failed, not because the sepoy lacked in numbers, but because it lacked control. After the British regained authority, in a frenzy of vengeance, hundreds of sepoys were bayoneted or fired from cannons. In short, the Indian Mutiny resulted in the devastating slaughter men, women and children, whether they were British or Indian, Christian or Muslim. The Sepoy committed horrible acts towards all human beings, likewise, the British treated mutineers with ethnic aggression. Therefore, to understand the full extent of the rebellion, the actions of both the British and the sepoy must be

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