🔹 Causes of Revolt (Political, Economic, Social, Military, Religious)

Q1. In which year did the Revolt of 1857 take place?
Ans: 1857
👉 Started on 10th May 1857 at Meerut, later spread across north India.

Q2. Who was the Governor-General during the Revolt of 1857?
Ans: Lord Canning
👉 He later became the first Viceroy of India.

Q3. Which incident sparked the revolt?
Ans: Greased cartridges issue
👉 Rumored to be coated with cow and pig fat.

Q4. Who introduced the Doctrine of Lapse?
Ans: Lord Dalhousie
👉 Annexed states without a male heir.

Q5. Which economic policy angered peasants?
Ans: Heavy taxation and revenue collection system
👉 Zamindars and farmers lost land.

Q6. Which social reform caused suspicion among Indians?
Ans: Abolition of Sati and Widow Remarriage Act
👉 Seen as interference in Indian traditions.

Q7. Which religious fear spread among sepoys before 1857?
Ans: Conversion to Christianity
👉 Missionary activities created unrest.

Q8. What was the main military cause of the revolt?
Ans: Discrimination in salary and promotion
👉 Indian soldiers were paid less than Europeans.

Q9. How many Indian soldiers were in the British army in 1857?
Ans: About 2.5 lakh
👉 Compared to only 45,000 British soldiers.

Q10. Which section of society was most affected by British land revenue policy?
Ans: Peasants and zamindars
👉 Loss of land created bitterness.

🔹 Leaders of Revolt (Regional Uprisings)

Q11. Who led the revolt in Kanpur?
Ans: Nana Saheb
👉 Adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II.

Q12. Who was his trusted commander at Kanpur?
Ans: Tantia Tope
👉 A brilliant guerrilla fighter.

Q13. Who led the revolt in Jhansi?
Ans: Rani Lakshmibai
👉 “Khoob ladi mardani, Jhansi wali Rani.”

Q14. Who led the revolt in Lucknow?
Ans: Begum Hazrat Mahal
👉 Declared her son Birjis Qadr as ruler.

Q15. Who was the leader at Bareilly?
Ans: Khan Bahadur Khan
👉 Declared ruler of Rohilkhand.

Q16. Who led the revolt in Bihar?
Ans: Kunwar Singh
👉 Fought bravely at age 80.

Q17. Who was the symbolic leader of the revolt?
Ans: Bahadur Shah II (Zafar)
👉 Last Mughal Emperor.

Q18. Who led the revolt at Faizabad?
Ans: Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah
👉 Known for his fiery speeches.

Q19. Who led the revolt in Rajasthan?
Ans: Thakur Kushal Singh of Auwa
👉 Rebelled against British rule.

Q20. Who was the commander of Jhansi army?
Ans: Rani Lakshmibai herself with generals like Ghulam Ghaus Khan.

🔹 Major Battles & Events

Q21. Where did the revolt begin?
Ans: Meerut
👉 Sepoys refused greased cartridges.

Q22. Who was killed in Kanpur massacre?
Ans: General Hugh Wheeler
👉 British commander in Kanpur.

Q23. Who led the British recapture of Delhi?
Ans: General John Nicholson
👉 Died in battle.

Q24. Where was Bahadur Shah Zafar sent after capture?
Ans: Rangoon (Burma)
👉 Died in exile in 1862.

Q25. Who defeated Rani Lakshmibai?
Ans: General Hugh Rose
👉 She died fighting in Gwalior (1858).

Q26. Who suppressed revolt in Kanpur finally?
Ans: Sir Colin Campbell
👉 Defeated Nana Saheb’s forces.

Q27. Which city witnessed fierce battle led by Begum Hazrat Mahal?
Ans: Lucknow
👉 Became stronghold of rebels.

Q28. Which fort was captured by Tantia Tope?
Ans: Gwalior Fort
👉 Later recaptured by British.

Q29. Who was the British commander at Bihar against Kunwar Singh?
Ans: William Tayler
👉 Fought at Jagdishpur.

Q30. Which Sikh states supported British during revolt?
Ans: Punjab states
👉 Helped suppress the revolt.

🔹 Causes of Failure of Revolt

Q31. Why did the revolt fail militarily?
Ans: Lack of unity and coordination
👉 No central leadership.

Q32. Why did the revolt fail politically?
Ans: Narrow goals of leaders
👉 Wanted restoration of old rulers.

Q33. Why did the revolt fail socially?
Ans: Lack of participation of middle and educated class
👉 Only peasants and sepoys fought.

Q34. Which provinces remained loyal to British?
Ans: Punjab, Bengal, South India
👉 Revolt confined to North India.

Q35. Why did Indian rulers not unite?
Ans: Rivalries among princely states
👉 Many supported British.

Q36. Which modern class did not support revolt?
Ans: Educated Indians
👉 Favored reforms.

Q37. Why was communication a problem for rebels?
Ans: No telegraph/railway control
👉 British had better technology.

Q38. Which Indian soldier betrayed rebels in Jhansi?
Ans: Some local rulers and generals defected.

Q39. What role did Gurkha soldiers play?
Ans: Supported British army
👉 Helped suppress revolt.

Q40. Which Indian ruler provided troops to British?
Ans: Nizam of Hyderabad
👉 Did not join rebels.

🔹 Consequences of Revolt

Q41. Which Mughal Emperor was exiled after revolt?
Ans: Bahadur Shah Zafar
👉 Exiled to Rangoon.

Q42. What happened to Mughal dynasty after 1857?
Ans: Ended
👉 India came under direct Crown rule.

Q43. What change in administration happened in 1858?
Ans: Government of India Act 1858
👉 East India Company abolished, Crown took over.

Q44. Who became first Viceroy of India?
Ans: Lord Canning
👉 Earlier Governor-General.

Q45. Which office was abolished after 1857?
Ans: Board of Control and Court of Directors
👉 British Parliament directly ruled India.

Q46. Which army policy changed after 1857?
Ans: Ratio of Europeans to Indians increased
👉 Only 1:2 to prevent another revolt.

Q47. Which recruitment policy was adopted after 1857?
Ans: Divide and Rule
👉 More Sikhs, Gurkhas recruited; fewer high-caste Hindus.

Q48. Which religious policy was changed?
Ans: Non-interference in Indian religion
👉 To avoid suspicion.

Q49. Which act proclaimed Queen Victoria’s policy?
Ans: Proclamation of 1858
👉 Promised equality, no interference in religion.

Q50. What was the main economic impact after 1857?
Ans: Greater exploitation of resources
👉 To recover costs of suppression.

🔹 Important Leaders & Regional Notes

Q51. Who was the queen of Awadh during revolt?
Ans: Begum Hazrat Mahal

Q52. Who was the Maratha leader during revolt?
Ans: Nana Saheb

Q53. Who was the commander-in-chief of rebel forces in Kanpur?
Ans: Tantia Tope

Q54. Who was the last Mughal emperor during revolt?
Ans: Bahadur Shah Zafar II

Q55. Who was the commander of Jhansi fort?
Ans: Rani Lakshmibai

Q56. Who led rebels in Bihar?
Ans: Kunwar Singh

Q57. Which Muslim leader was active in Faizabad?
Ans: Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah

Q58. Who was the British commander who suppressed revolt in Lucknow?
Ans: Sir Colin Campbell

Q59. Who wrote “The History of Indian Mutiny of 1857”?
Ans: Charles Ball

Q60. Who called the revolt “Sepoy Mutiny”?
Ans: Sir John Lawrence

🔹 Historians’ Views

Q61. Who called 1857 revolt as ‘First War of Independence’?
Ans: V.D. Savarkar

Q62. Who called it a ‘Sepoy Mutiny’?
Ans: Sir John Lawrence & British historians

Q63. Who called it a ‘National Revolt’?
Ans: R.C. Majumdar disagreed, but Benjamin Disraeli used the term in British Parliament.

Q64. Who considered it a peasant revolt?
Ans: S.N. Sen

Q65. Who called it a war of Indian independence?
Ans: Karl Marx (in British newspapers)

Q66. Who described it as a feudal revolt?
Ans: Bipin Chandra

Q67. Who described it as a clash of civilizations?
Ans: British writers

Q68. Which leader of INC praised 1857 revolt in 1907?
Ans: Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Q69. Which Urdu poet wrote on 1857 revolt?
Ans: Mirza Ghalib

Q70. Who wrote “Causes of the Indian Revolt”?
Ans: Syed Ahmed Khan

🔹 Quick Revision (MCQ Style)

Q71. Revolt of 1857 began in which city?
Ans: Meerut

Q72. Revolt of 1857 is also called?
Ans: First War of Independence

Q73. Who led the revolt in Kanpur?
Ans: Nana Saheb

Q74. Who led the revolt in Jhansi?
Ans: Rani Lakshmibai

Q75. Who was the symbolic head of revolt?
Ans: Bahadur Shah Zafar

Q76. Who led revolt in Bihar?
Ans: Kunwar Singh

Q77. Who led revolt in Lucknow?
Ans: Begum Hazrat Mahal

Q78. Which British officer suppressed Jhansi revolt?
Ans: Hugh Rose

Q79. Which ruler remained loyal to British?
Ans: Nizam of Hyderabad

Q80. Who wrote ‘1857 – The First War of Independence’?
Ans: V.D. Savarkar

Q81. Who captured Delhi during revolt?
Ans: General John Nicholson

Q82. Which religious group supported British most?
Ans: Sikhs and Gurkhas

Q83. Where was Bahadur Shah Zafar exiled?
Ans: Rangoon (Burma)

Q84. Who was the last Mughal Emperor?
Ans: Bahadur Shah Zafar

Q85. Who betrayed Tantia Tope?
Ans: His friend Man Singh

Q86. Who suppressed Kanpur revolt finally?
Ans: Sir Colin Campbell

Q87. Which city saw Bibighar massacre?
Ans: Kanpur

Q88. Revolt of 1857 mainly affected which region?
Ans: Northern and Central India

Q89. Which group did not participate in 1857 revolt?
Ans: Educated middle class & South Indians

Q90. Revolt of 1857 ended in which year?
Ans: 1859 (final suppression)

🔹 Final 10 (Consequences & Legacy)

Q91. Which Act transferred power from EIC to Crown?
Ans: Government of India Act 1858

Q92. Who became first Viceroy after 1857?
Ans: Lord Canning

Q93. What was Queen Victoria’s proclamation of 1858?
Ans: Equality, religious tolerance, no annexation

Q94. Which recruitment policy changed after 1857?
Ans: Divide and Rule

Q95. What happened to princely states after 1857?
Ans: Promised protection if loyal

Q96. What was the effect on Indian army?
Ans: European ratio increased, artillery reserved

Q97. What was economic impact?
Ans: Heavier exploitation to recover war costs

Q98. Which writer called 1857 “The Great Revolt”?
Ans: Ashok Mehta

Q99. What was the nationalist legacy of 1857?
Ans: Inspired future freedom fighters

Q100. Why is revolt called First War of Independence?
Ans: It was the first united effort of Indians (though failed) against British rule.