From Meerut to Delhi
On March 29, 1857, Mangal Pandey was executed by hanging for assaulting officers in Barrackpore. Some sepoys in the Meerut regiment refused to perform military drills using the newly introduced cartridges, which were suspected to be coated with the fat of cows and pigs.
On May 9, 1857, eighty-five sepoys were discharged from service and sentenced to ten years in prison for disobeying their superiors.
The soldiers liberated the imprisoned sepoys from Meerut jail on May 10. They were resolute in their determination to end British rule in the country. Riding throughout the night of May 10, they reached Delhi in the early hours of the next morning. Triumphant soldiers assembled at the Red Fort, demanding an audience with the Emperor.
Bahadur Shah Zafar acceded to their request and dispatched letters to all the chiefs and rulers of the nation, urging them to unite and form a coalition of Indian states to combat the British.
The Mughal dynasty had exercised control over a significant portion of the country. However, small rulers and chieftains governing various regions felt threatened by the expanding British dominion.
The British anticipated that the unrest stemming from the cartridge issue would subside. However, Bahadur Shah Zafar’s decision completely altered the situation.
CBSE Class 8 History Notes Chapter 5 – When People Rebel and After
Chapter 5 – When People Rebel teaches CBSE Class 8 students about policies and the people, peasants and sepoys, the conflict between the Company and nawabs and rajas, etc. By reading through the CBSE Class 8 History notes for Chapter 5, students can grasp the concepts covered in the chapter.
Students can use these notes to swiftly review the entire chapter right before the test. Students not only save significant time but also gain confidence in their ability to write well on tests.