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1857: FIRST WAR OF INDEPENDENCE:
The year 1857
witnessed the first war of independence, which is perhaps one of
the defining moments of Indian freedom struggle. Scholars and
historians ascribe many causes and among these causes one that
triggered the chain of incidents was reaction of the Indian
soldiers of the East India Company's army, to the grease of the
new kind of cartridge they were compelled to use. Perhaps the
more important causes were people's discontentment with the land
taxes taken by the British government, the seizure of many
kingdoms and princely states by the British, and above all,
peoples desire for freedom from foreign rule. The significance of
1857 is that unlike many a battle against the British earlier,
for the first time simultaneously there were rebellions in many
regions, imparting an all-India character to the uprising. 1857
was remarkable not only due to its unprecedented scale, covering
almost half of India, but also due to its impact on popular mind
everywhere. It was a source of inspiration for the freedom
struggle that followed.
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