Firangi Raj and the End of a World
The revolt in Awadh was a response to the annexation of the Nawab and the dispossessed taluqdars of the region:
- The British annexation was based on the assumption that taluqdars were interlopers with no permanent stakes in land.
- The British land revenue policy further undermined the position and authority of the taluqdars.
- The Summary Settlement of 1856, based on the assumption that taluqdars were interlopers, removed the taluqdars wherever possible.
- The dispossession of taluqdars led to the breakdown of an entire social order, disrupting ties of loyalty and patronage.
- The British imposed overassessment of revenue and inflexible collection methods, leading to a lack of guarantee for the peasant in times of hardship or crop failure.
- The grievances of the peasants were carried over into the sepoy lines, as a majority of the sepoys were recruited from the villages of Awadh.
- The relationship between the sepoys and their superior white officers underwent a significant change in the years preceding the uprising of 1857.
- The sepoys’ families saw changes around them and threats they perceived, which were quickly transmitted to the sepoy lines.
- The fear of the sepoys about the new cartridge, their grievances about leave, and the increasing misbehaviour and racial abuse on the part of their white officers was communicated back to the villages.
- The link between the sepoys and the rural world had important implications in the course of the uprising.
Chapter 10 Awadh in Revolt| Class 12 History Notes
Class 12 History Notes Chapter 10 Awadh in Revolt discusses that there were several reasons for the revolt in Awadh. One reason was the annexation of the state by the British in 1856. The British had annexed Awadh because it was being misgoverned. However, the people of Awadh were very loyal to their Nawab, Wajid Ali Shah, and they resented his removal. Another reason for the revolt was the economic hardship that the people of Awadh were facing. The British had introduced several new taxes, and they had also taken over much of the land in Awadh. This has led to widespread poverty and unemployment.
It is an important topic of History Class 12 NCERT. Students can through this article to get comprehensive notes on Chapter 10 Awadh in Revolt.
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