The Sepoy Rebellion

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Recommended: The advent of British rule in India

The British economic interest in India was the main factor behind its presence in the subcontinent due to the raw material and market that the region provided.1 To protect their interests, the British East India Company recruited and maintained troops from the local population called the Sepoys.1 Through their various actions in the past, they had assisted the British to conquer territories; thus, the region became a British protectorate rather than their colony. The relationship between the British and the Indian Sepoys was amicable back in the 18th and early 19th century as they worked together. However, tensions began arising due to various factors which ultimately led to the historical rebellion. Dissatisfactions began arising on both …show more content…

It started in Meerut then spread to Delhi, Cawnpore, Jhansi, Indore, Punjab, Jaunpur and Arrah. The incident occurred on a Sunday when the British soldiers were off duty to attend church services and rest. The Indian soldiers had planned to rescue their jailed countrymen who were brought to court after refusing to use their fire arms whose cartridges were believed to have been made from beef tallow, as the use of material was against their religious and cultural beliefs.The rebellion was a factor in the end of the East India Company rule since the mutiny was a reaction of their poor leadership. The British government decided to dissolve the East India Company rule and establish a direct connection. Since the actions of the Company were responsible for the rebellion and all the atrocities that took place, the British government decided to rule the territories directly.1 This move allowed the British government to offer better leadership that was far much better than the Company’s …show more content…

However, the rebellion changed their approach on how to retain their control over areas that participated in the mutiny. Instead of losing the areas, the British decided to establish a firmer control over the land and colonized it directly instead of using the rajahs of the area. This came as a surprise to the locals who expected opposite results due to the resistance against British rule. The minimal links that existed between the British government and the area were strengthened so naturally a political and trade system that matched with the British style was

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