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Indian Mutiny Of 1857 Essay

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The Indian Mutiny of 1857 was a significant historical event that resulted in the loss of many lives. The uprising was caused by several factors, including religious tension and political upheaval. The British had introduced a new rifle that used cartridges that had to be greased to make them easier to use, and the soldiers believed that the grease was made of cow fat, which would defile them according to their religious beliefs. This led to anger and suspicion among the native soldiers, and when people are angry and suspicious, they are more likely to act in irrational ways. Samuel Rawson Gardiner wrote in Gardiner’s English History for Schools, "there was, therefore, much suspicion and angry feeling among the native soldiers, and when ignorant …show more content…

Sir Colin Campbell, in his book Narrative of the Indian Revolt from Its Outbreak to the Capture of Lucknow, wrote that the British had made injudicious attempts to convert sepoys to Christianity, and the sepoys believed that they were to be converted by compulsion. He also noted that the removal of the Muslim king of Oudh had caused offense among the sepoys. The British had taken control of Oudh because the system of government had become too oppressive to be tolerated. Although the court was rife with oppression, intrigue, and sensuality, it's worth noting that prejudices such as religious, national, and social biases wielded a significant influence, even in a supposedly civilized nation, and this was particularly evident in regions that had regressed into barbarism. Sir Colin Campbell highlights the significant impact of prejudices, such as religious, national, and social, on people's behavior and actions, especially in regions with a lack of civilization, writing, "Prejudices – religious, national and social – have paramount influence even in a civilized country; this is even more true in a region sunk into barbarism." His insight serves as a reminder of the complex factors that contributed to the tragic Indian Mutiny of 1857, including religious and political tension, as well as ignorance and

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