NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 5:When People Rebel 1857 and After

This chapter further elaborates how the East India Company's policies affected different people like kings, queens, peasants, landlords, tribals, and soldiers in different ways. The chapter has been discussed in the subsequent points:

• Since the mid-eighteenth century, the Nawabs and rajas had seen their power erode. Subsidiary alliance, Doctrine of Lapse, and other rules crippled the administration of these territories.
• The farmers and the tribes were agitated by the company's interference and the high revenues charged upon them. This practice led to clashes between the farmers and the company time and again.
• The merchants and traders were forced to sell their goods at low prices and were forced to either give up their trade or incur losses.
• The native soldiers were treated harshly, discriminated against based on their colour, and were not promoted to higher ranks.
• Sepoys and peasants gathered forces for the revolt. The revolt had spread across the plains of North India in 1857.
• As the mutiny of the Indian sepoys spread, British officers were killed in the cantonments. The British forces found it difficult to break through the heavily fortified Delhi. They had to call for reinforcements of a 7- mile-long siege train comprising cartloads of canons and ammunition pulled by elephants.
• By the end of 1859, the East India Company had gained control of the country once again. However, they could no longer carry on ruling the land with the same policies. The British Parliament had passed a new law in 1858 which had transferred the East India Company's powers to the British Crown. The transfer was done to initiate responsible management of Indian affairs.
• A member of the British Cabinet was appointed Secretary of State for India and made responsible for all matters related to India's governance. He did so with a council to advise him, which came to be known as the India Council.
• The post of Governor-General of India underwent a change in the name where the new title was the Viceroy. He was a personal representative of the Crown. Through these measures, the British government accepted direct responsibility for ruling India, which began a new historical phase.