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• British formed new laws banning the Sati system and to allow widow remarriage. In
1850s, British annexed states like Avvadh, Jhansi and Satara by refusing adoption and on
the basis of misgovernment. New’ land aws and revenue settlements were made.
• These all above factors made Indians believe that British is changing the way of their life,
custom, rules and replacing them with alien customs and rule.
• Suspicion was further aggravated with rapid spread of Christian missionaries and their
activities.

Revolt in Awadh:

• Lord Dalhousie describe the Kingdom of Awadh as a Cherry that will drop into our mouth
one day’.
• Lord Wellesley introduced subsidiary alliance in Awadh in 1801. Gradually, the British
developed more interest in the kingdom of Awadh.
• The British were looking at role of Awadh as producer of cotton and indigo and also as
principal market of upper India. .
• By the 1850’s, British conquered all major areas of India like the Maratha lands, the Doab,
the Carnatic, the Punjab and Bengal. The annexation of Awadh in 1856 completed the
territorial annexation which started a century earlier with the annexation of Bengal.
• Dalhousie displaced Nawab Wazid Ali Shah and exiled to Calcutta on plea that Awadh is
being misgoverned.
• British government wrongly assume that Nawab Wazid Ali was an unpopular ruler. On the
contrary, he w’as widely loved and people bemoaned for the loss of Nawab.
• The removal of Nawab led to dissolution of courts and decline of culture. Musicians,
dancers, poets, cooks, retainers and administrative officials, all lost their livelihood.

British Raj and the End of o War:

• With removal of Nawab all taluqdar of the Awadh were also disposed. They were
disarmed and their forts were destroyed. With a new revenue system named Summary
Settlement, taluqdar lost their very large share of revenue ; from land.
• Wherever possible, taluqdars were removed and settlement was done directly with
peasants. This dispossession of taluqdar meant the complete break dowm of social order.
• Company directly settled revenue with peasants and revenue now was over assessed, so
peasants were troubled.
• There was no longer any guarantee that in times of hardship or crop failure the revenue
demand of the state would be reduced or the peasant would get the loan and support during
festivals which they earlier used to get from taluqdar.
• Earlier, British officials had friendly relations with Indian sepoys but later Indian sepoys
were subjected to racial abuse, low pay scale, difference in service.
• In 1840s, English officer developed a sense of superiority, physical violence also started
and distance between officers and sepoys grew.
• As many Indian serving in Army were from Awadh, i.e. so local people of Awadh were
also aware of unfair behaviour meted out to their brothers.
• Peasants of Awadh were already in trouble because of high revenue and taluqdar were
looking for revenge to gain back their authority.