Revolt of 1857 — Set 10

Correct Answer: B. Manikarnika Tambe

Rani Lakshmibai was born as Manikarnika Tambe in Varanasi in 1828 (some sources say 1835). Her childhood nickname was 'Manu.' She was brought up at the court of Peshwa Baji Rao II in Bithur alongside Nana Sahib, where she received training in horsemanship, archery, and swordsmanship — unusual for a girl of that time. She married Raja Gangadhar Rao of Jhansi and took the name Lakshmibai. Her upbringing in a warrior tradition at the Peshwa's court contributed to her famous military prowess in 1857.

Correct Answer: A. Bengal Regulation I of 1829

Bengal Regulation XVII of 1829, passed under Governor-General Lord William Bentinck, declared the practice of sati illegal and punishable as culpable homicide. This was a significant social reform influenced by campaigners like Ram Mohan Roy. While widely supported by reformers, it was seen by conservative Hindus as British interference in religious practices. The outlawing of sati, along with other social reforms, contributed to fears among conservative Indians that the British intended to destroy Hindu customs — a fear that helped fuel the 1857 revolt.

Correct Answer: B. Khan Bahadur Khan

Khan Bahadur Khan led the revolt at Bareilly in 1857 and declared himself the Nawab of Rohilkhand, establishing a rebel administration in the region. He was a grandson of Hafiz Rahmat Khan, the founder of the Rohilla Afghan kingdom that had been conquered by the British-backed Awadh Nawab in 1774. Khan Bahadur Khan organized significant rebel forces in Rohilkhand and maintained resistance for over a year. He was eventually captured and hanged by the British in 1860.

Correct Answer: B. It was a planned, nationalistic struggle for independence from British rule, not merely a military mutiny

The term 'First War of Independence' implies that the 1857 revolt was a deliberate, organized national struggle for freedom from British colonial rule — not merely a reaction to military grievances. This interpretation, popularized by V.D. Savarkar, argues that the revolt had pan-Indian character, political goals of restoring Indian rule, and the participation of diverse classes beyond just the sepoys. The term also positions 1857 as the beginning of a continuum of struggle that eventually led to independence in 1947. This interpretation remains debated but was officially adopted by the Government of India.

Correct Answer: B. Escaping from Jhansi, capturing Gwalior with Tantia Tope, and dying in battle near Gwalior

When British General Hugh Rose besieged Jhansi in March 1858, Rani Lakshmibai defended it fiercely but was forced to escape when the defenses were breached. She rode out at night with a small escort, crossing enemy lines, and reached Tantia Tope. Together they captured Gwalior from the pro-British Scindia in June 1858, establishing a rebel stronghold. However, the British quickly counterattacked, and Lakshmibai died fighting at Kotah-ki-Serai near Gwalior on June 17, 1858, in what became the last major battle of the revolt in central India.

Correct Answer: C. Dadabhai Naoroji

Dadabhai Naoroji, the 'Grand Old Man of India,' most systematically developed the 'Drain of Wealth' theory in his 1901 book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.' He calculated the annual drain of wealth from India to Britain and argued it was responsible for India's growing poverty. Though his systematic analysis came after 1857, the actual economic exploitation described — destruction of Indian industries, extraction of revenue — was already a major grievance before 1857. Naoroji's work gave economic substance to what many Indians had already felt as economic injustice.

Correct Answer: C. Sunday

The Meerut revolt began on the evening of Sunday, May 10, 1857. Sunday was significant because it was the Christian day of worship, and many British officers and soldiers were at church when the revolt broke out. This timing was likely not accidental — the sepoys knew that most British officers would be unarmed and dispersed during Sunday religious services, giving the rebels a strategic advantage. The timing allowed the sepoys to overwhelm British resistance quickly before marching to Delhi through the night.

Correct Answer: B. 1 year

The 1857 revolt began at Meerut on May 10, 1857, and was largely suppressed by mid-1858. The last significant rebel force — Tantia Tope — was captured and executed in April 1859, meaning the revolt lasted approximately two years in total. However, by late 1857 the British had recaptured Delhi, and by late 1858 most rebel strongholds had fallen. The British declared the revolt officially over in 1859, making the total duration about two years from start to final suppression, though organized resistance effectively ended by mid-1858.

Correct Answer: B. Her defiant refusal to accept the British annexation of Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse

The famous quote attributed to Rani Lakshmibai, 'Main apni Jhansi nahi dungi' (I will not give up my Jhansi), reflects her defiant response to the British annexation of Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse in 1853. When the British informed her of their decision to annex Jhansi after her husband's death, she is said to have made this declaration of resistance. Though the exact words may be legendary, they capture the spirit of her refusal to accept the injustice of the Doctrine of Lapse. Her resistance became a symbol of Indian defiance against colonial injustice.

Correct Answer: A. Paramount power policy

After 1857, the British adopted the concept of 'Paramountcy' — the British Crown was the paramount power in India, and Indian princes were subordinate but protected rulers who could maintain their states as long as they accepted British supremacy. This replaced Dalhousie's aggressive annexation policy and gave Indian princes security of their territories and titles. The British maintained the right to intervene in princely states on grounds of misgovernance but no longer routinely absorbed them. This policy kept the princes as a loyal buffer class supporting British rule until independence in 1947.