UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION

PRELIMS 2019 SPECIAL

LECTURE 3

MCQs – STATIC – HISTORY

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CAUSES OF REVOLT OF 1857

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ECONOMIC

ADMINISTRATIVE

POLITICAL

SOCIO RELIGIOUS

MILITARY

IMMEDIATE

CAUSES

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ECONOMIC CAUSES – Exploitative Revenue Settlement Acts; crippling of traditional artisans and handicraftsmen;confiscation of land of the Zamindars

1

POLITICAL CAUSES – Policy of aggrandisement accompanied by broken pledges; policies like ‘Effective Control’‘Subsidiary Alliance’ and ‘Doctrine of Lapse’; annexation of Awadh (1856) on charges of maladministration.

2

Socio-Religious Causes – Socio-religious reform like Anti Sati Resolution (1829), Widow Remarriage act (1856)were seen as intrusion in the internal matters of the Indians by the outsiders.

5

ADMINISTRATIVE CAUSES – Rampant corruption in the company’s administration; British administrative lawsthat superseded the native laws of India was seen as a direct intrusion

4

Satara (1848); Jaitpur and Sambhalpur (1849); Udaipur (1852); Jhansi (1853); Nagpur (1854);3

MILITARY CAUSES

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The conditions of the services in the Company’s Army and cantonments increasingly came into conflict with thereligious beliefs and prejudices of the sepoys.

1

Overseas deployment for wars was against the belief of the Hindus in not crossing the sea.2

The rumors about the use of cow and pig fat in cartridges of the new Enfield Rifle (replaced Brown Bess) wasoffensive to Hindus and Muslims respectively.

4

Regular humiliation of the Indian soldiers at the hands of British officers3

There has been long history of revolts in the British Indian Army – Bengal (1764); Vellore (1806); Barrackpore(1825); during Afghan Wars (1838-1842)

5

COURSE OF REVOLT

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The Revolt began at Meerut on May 10th, 1857. It embraced a vast areas from the Punjab in the North andNarmada in South ; Bihar in the East and Rajputana in the west.

1

Even before 10th May ramblings of resentment were evident in various British Cantonments.2

The rebellion soon spread to Bengal, Awadh Rohilkhand, Doab, Bundelkhand and central India. Large parts ofBihar and east Punjab also witnessed the rebellion.

4

After Meerut incident the sepoys rushed to Delhi and proclaimed Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar as theemperor of India.

3

COURSE OF REVOLT

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The civilians joined the revolt as well particularly in north-western provinces and Awadh.5

Wide spread participation of peasantry, artisans, shopkeepers, day labourers, zamindars, priests etc. waswitnessed.

6

Out of 1,50,000 men who died fighting the English in Awadh, 1,00,000 of them were civilians.8

Civilian participation gave it a real strength and character of a popular revolt.7

MAJOR STORM CENTRES

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STORM CENTRES LEADERS

Delhi General Bakht Khan

Kanpur Nana Saheb

Lucknow Beghum Hazrat Mahal

Bareilly Khan Bahadur

Bihar Kunwar Singh

Faizabad Maulvi Ahmadullah

Jhansi Rani Laxmi Bai and TantiaTope

SUPPRESSION

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The British finally attacked Delhi in September 1857. The old king was captured and later deported to Rangoonwhere he died in 1862.

1

Kanpur was reoccupied by the British (Sir Colin Campbell) in December 18572

Jhansi was recaptured through an assault by Sir Hugh Rose in June 1858, while Rani Laxmi Bai died in the battlefield

3

By the end of 1859, British authority over India was fully reestablished.4

CAUSES OF FAILURE

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No effective Leader1

Limited Resources2

All classes did not join3

No Unified ideology4

Some Princely States aided the British for their vested interests5

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The direct administration of the country was assumed by the British Crown and Company rule was abolished.1

Assumption of the government of India by the sovereign of Great Britain was announced by Lord Canning at aDurbar at Allahabad in the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’ issued on November 1st 1858

2

Era of annexation and expansion ended and the British promised to respect the dignity and rights of the nativeprinces. Indian states were henceforth to recognise the paramountcy of the British Crown.

3

MAJOR CONSEQUENCES

Army was thoroughly reorganised. Martial races were introduced.4

Racial hatred and the suspicion among the Indians and the English was aggravated5

Which of the following events did not occur when Lord Dalhousie was the Governor General :

1) Anti Sati Resolution

2) Subsidiary Alliance

3) Revolt of 1857

4) Transfer of control from British East India Company to the crown

Select the correct code:

a) 3 only

b) 1, 2 and 4 only

c) 1 and 2 only

d) All of the above

Answer : d

QUESTION 1

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Consider the following statements regarding the revolt of 1857:

1) It was primarily the outcome of discontent among the Indian sepoys

2) Disunity among the Hindus and the Muslims was one of the factors for its failure

3) It led to the assumption of government of India by the sovereign of Great Britain

Which of the above statements are correct:

a) 1 Only

b) 2 and 3 Only

c) 3 only

d) All of the above

Answer : c

QUESTION 2

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In context of Revolt of 1857 which of the following are correctly matched?

1) Khan Bahadur – Lucknow

2) Rani Laxmi Bai – Jhansi

3) Nana Saheb – Kanpur

Select the correct code:

a) 2 and 3 only

b) 1 only

c) 3 only

d) All of the above

Answer : a

QUESTION 3

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Consider the following statements regarding outcome of the Revolt of 1857:

1) India became independent from the rule of British East India Company

2) The British crown took over the government of India through the Queen’s Proclamation at Delhi

Durbar.

3) The British military policy came to be dominated by the idea of “division and counterpoise”

Which of the above statement/s is/are incorrect:

a) 2 Only

b) 1 and 2 Only

c) 1 and 3 Only

d) All of the above

Answer : b

QUESTION 4

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Arrange the following events in correct chronological order (from earliest to latest):

1) Annexation of Awadh

2) Annexation of Satara

3) Annexation of Nagpur

4) Annexation of Sambhalpur

Select the correct code:

a) 1 – 3 – 4 – 2

b) 4 – 2 – 3 – 1

c) 2 – 3 – 1 – 4

d) 2 – 4 – 3 - 1

Answer : d

QUESTION 5

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