Revolt of 1857 — Set 4

Correct Answer: B. Blowing rebels from cannons and mass hangings

The British employed extreme methods of suppression during the 1857 revolt, including blowing rebels from the mouths of cannons — a gruesome form of execution that was both physically destructive and religiously offensive. Mass hangings were also carried out, with rebel soldiers and civilians executed on trees along roadsides as a warning. Entire villages suspected of supporting the rebels were burned, and collective punishment was common. The brutality of British reprisals was documented by British journalists and even criticized in Britain.

Correct Answer: B. 1848

Satara was the first state to be annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse in 1848, marking the beginning of Dalhousie's aggressive annexation policy. The Raja of Satara had died without a natural heir and his adopted son was not recognized. This was followed by the annexations of Jaipur, Sambhalpur, Baghat, Udaipur, Nagpur, and finally Jhansi (1853) and Awadh (1856). The systematic annexation of Indian states created widespread fear and resentment among Indian rulers and their subjects.

Correct Answer: B. The Governor-General of India during the revolt who became the first Viceroy after 1858

Lord Canning was the Governor-General of India when the revolt broke out in 1857. He managed the British response to the revolt and implemented policies of both suppression and conciliation. After the revolt was suppressed and the Government of India Act 1858 transferred power to the Crown, Canning became the first Viceroy of India. His policy of mercy toward rebels who had not committed murder earned him the nickname 'Clemency Canning' in both praise and criticism.

Correct Answer: B. Bengal, Punjab, Madras, and Bombay Presidencies

The 1857 revolt was largely confined to the north and central India — primarily the Bengal Presidency region, UP, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. The Madras and Bombay Presidencies remained largely peaceful, and the Punjabi soldiers actually helped the British suppress the revolt. Bengal, despite being the center of British administration, did not see major rebellion. This lack of geographic spread was one of the key reasons for the failure of the revolt and gave the British the ability to move troops from unaffected regions.

Correct Answer: B. Dhondu Pant

Nana Sahib's real name was Dhondu Pant. He was born in 1824 and was the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. When the British denied him his father's pension after the Peshwa's death in 1851, he became deeply resentful of British rule. He led the revolt at Kanpur (Cawnpore) in 1857 and became one of the most wanted rebel leaders. After the revolt's failure, he reportedly escaped to Nepal and was never captured by the British.

Correct Answer: C. Delhi

The fall of Delhi on September 20, 1857, was a decisive turning point in the 1857 revolt. Delhi had become the symbolic capital of the rebel forces, with Bahadur Shah Zafar as their proclaimed Emperor. The British assault on Delhi, led by John Nicholson among others, involved fierce fighting at the Kashmir Gate. The recapture of Delhi broke the symbolic and political backbone of the revolt, though fighting continued in other areas for another year.

Correct Answer: C. V.D. Savarkar

V.D. Savarkar's 1909 book 'The Indian War of Independence 1857' first systematically argued and popularized the interpretation of the revolt as India's First War of Independence. He presented it as a planned, coordinated national uprising against British rule rather than a spontaneous mutiny. The book was banned by the British government but circulated widely among Indian revolutionaries. Savarkar's interpretation had a lasting impact on how Indian nationalists and later the Government of India framed the revolt.

Correct Answer: B. It was dissolved and its powers were transferred to the British Crown

The East India Company, which had governed British India for nearly a century, was dissolved following the 1857 revolt through the Government of India Act 1858. The British Parliament transferred direct governance of India to the British Crown, and a new post of Secretary of State for India was created in London. Queen Victoria issued a royal proclamation on November 1, 1858, announcing the new arrangements and promising justice and equality. This marked the formal beginning of the British Raj.

Correct Answer: B. Equal treatment for Indians, non-interference in religion, and respect for treaties with Indian rulers

Queen Victoria's Proclamation of November 1, 1858, promised several important things to the people of India after the transfer of power from the Company to the Crown. It pledged non-interference in the religious affairs of Indians, equal treatment for Indians in government service, and respect for existing treaties with Indian rulers. It also promised amnesty to all rebels who had not been involved in the murder of British subjects. The proclamation was seen as an attempt to reassure Indians after the trauma of the revolt.

Correct Answer: B. She married Raja Gangadhar Rao of Jhansi; after his death she became queen as his widow

Rani Lakshmibai was born as Manikarnika Tambe (also called Manu Bai) and married Raja Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, the Maharaja of Jhansi. After their natural son died in infancy, they adopted a child named Damodar Rao on the day the Raja died in 1853. After her husband's death, she became the Queen Regent of Jhansi but the British refused to recognize the adoption under the Doctrine of Lapse and annexed Jhansi. This injustice motivated her to join the 1857 revolt.