The revolt of 1857- termed as the first war for independence (though unsuccessful) was the first time the Indian soldiers decided to raise their voices against the irrational treatment they were undergoing. It was also known as the Sepoy mutiny or the Indian mutiny. The revolt wasn't an overnight event, but was a result of problems that had accumulated in the lives of the country men overtime.

The primary dissatisfaction was because the Sepoy was asked to chew cartridges which were rumored to have cow fat. And cows being sacred, this act was against their sentiments. The rural zamindars and peasants were highly misused and their plight was kept unheard for years. Conversion into Christianity in spite of reluctance shown by the people added to this. The annexation of Awadh and other territories in the name of the Doctrine of Lapse and other such clauses created disturbance among its occupants. The soldiers forcefully declared Bahadur Shah Zafar as the ruler so as to boycott the British rules. Towns of Kanpur, Meerut, Delhi, Jhansi, Lucknow, Indore etc were the provinces which actively contributed to the revolt. Rani Lakshmi Bai, Tantiya Tope, Mangal Pandey, Nana Sahib etc are the popular names that are often associated with this resistance.

The resistance came to notice when a brave soldier called Mangal Pandey who later got recognized as a martyr, wounded a British sergeant and attacked an adjunct. After marching from Meerut to Delhi, they were joined by the soldiers and sepoys from Delhi and the city was brought under their control. The revolt was large enough that it couldn't go ignored or unnoticed by the officials. The British East India Company was withdrawn the sole right of trading with Indians. The British sent Bahadur Shah to Burma and imprisoned him there until his death. Indians started being employed in the Civil Services but at lower positions. The British tried their best to normalize the situation and avoid anymore such revolts

After several failed attempts over a period of fourteen months, Lord canning, the then Viceroy was somehow successful in suppressing the revolt and restoring peace in the states. This revolt may not have had any shirt term major impact but it definitely managed to develop a confidence among the citizens that the are capable of raising their voices against the unfair treatment. It was the ignition point of the whole freedom struggle which was later joined by several radical as well as moderate freedom fighters. It was a turning point in the lives of most Indians, which raised a small ray of hope to see something brighter, safer and happier towards the end.

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