Rebels and The Raj Class 12 History Chapter 10 CBSE Notes - 2025-26

The Revolt of 1857 started on 10 May in Meerut, where sepoys mutinied against the British after being forced to use greased cartridges offensive to both Hindu and Muslim communities. 

The rebellion soon spread to the cavalry, ordinary townsfolk, and eventually neighboring villages, collectively attacking British bungalows, properties, and government establishments. 

The telegraph line to Delhi was cut and, as night fell, a group of sepoys marched to Delhi, seeking leadership from the Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah II.

The events in Delhi symbolized a deeper loss of control for the British as sepoys and civilians stormed the city and sought Bahadur Shah’s blessings. 

His reluctant acceptance gave the uprising a new legitimacy, transforming a mutiny into a much larger popular revolt. 

The unity among rebels was notable, with appeals for Hindu-Muslim solidarity as seen in proclamations circulated during the rebellion.

• The revolt pattern began with signals, such as evening guns or bugles, followed by seizing armories and treasuries.
• Key targets included government buildings like jails, treasuries, records, and telegraph offices.
• Everything seen as British, and people supporting the British, were attacked.
• Proclamations spread in Hindi, Urdu, and Persian called for Hindu-Muslim unity to eliminate the “firangis”.
• Ordinary people joined, and the targets extended to moneylenders and local elites, broadening the rebellion.

Planning and Lines of Communication Coordination between different regiments was clear. Sepoys and their emissaries moved, spreading messages of refusal to accept new cartridges. 

There were collective decisions by regimental panchayats, and letters exchanged between regiments, indicating a planned approach. Evidence from sources like the statement of a tahsildar in Bijnor shows rebel organization and confidence in ultimate success.

Role of Leaders and Local Figures Many rebels turned to deposed leaders for guidance, like Bahadur Shah in Delhi, Nana Sahib in Kanpur, Rani of Jhansi, and Kunwar Singh in Arrah. 

Local religious figures, including fakirs and preachers like Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah, rallied public support with charisma and spiritual authority. Rural leaders like Shah Mal in Barout mobilized peasants, fought for rights, and challenged British authority, sometimes establishing brief periods of “people’s rule.”

Rumours, Beliefs, and Cultural Concerns Rumours played a huge role: the fear over cartridges greased with cow and pig fat quickly inflamed both Hindu and Muslim sentiments. 

There was talk of bone-dust in flour and predictions of the British rule ending on the centenary of the Battle of Plassey. Circulating symbols like chapattis and lotus flowers further cemented the expectation of a dramatic change, highlighting how cultural anxieties fueled the rebellion.

• British reforms like Western education, new laws on widow remarriage, and loss of native administrative systems bred suspicion and resistance.
• Rumours were easily believed, intensifying the rebellion’s reach.

Awadh: The Epicentre of the Uprising The British annexed Awadh in 1856 under the Subsidiary Alliance, ending the Nawab’s rule and dissolving the existing social hierarchy. The removal of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah caused widespread grief in Lucknow and destroyed a vibrant court culture that supported a wide range of people, from artisans to musicians.

Taluqdars—local landlords—were disarmed and dispossessed in the Summary Settlement, while peasants suffered from land loss and overtaxation, making Awadh a significant center of rebellion.

Sepoys from Awadh’s villages joined since they also faced increased abuse and discrimination from British officers. The rural and military worlds were closely connected, ensuring rapid spread of resistance as peasants supported sepoy actions and vice versa.

What the Rebels Sought Few original rebel documents survived, but proclamations and ishtahars suggest repeated calls for unity and return to Mughal-style coexistence between communities. Despite British attempts, communal strife was limited. 

The key rebel demands involved the abolition of British-imposed land settlements, restoration of pre-British revenue systems, native autonomy in trade, employment for artisans, and religious protection.

The rebels also opposed symbols of British oppression: broken treaties, high taxes, and destroyed native industry. Proclamations, like the Azamgarh Proclamation, address zemindars, merchants, public servants, artisans, and religious figures, promising justice and revival of livelihoods under native rule.

Once the British administration collapsed, rebels rapidly set up their own governance, collecting revenue, restricting looting, and attempting to maintain order. 

In many places, Mughal-era administrative practices were revived and even lasted for several months, especially in Awadh.

British Response: Repression and Reconquest To crush the uprising, the British imposed martial law and made death the routine punishment for rebellion. They followed a two-pronged military approach: armies advanced from Calcutta in the east and Punjab in the northwest toward Delhi, which fell in September following heavy combat. British troops retook rebel-held areas in the Gangetic plains, village by village, inflicting severe punishment.

The British rewarded those loyal to them and confiscated the property of rebels. Many dispossessed taluqdars escaped to Nepal, while systematic retribution was carried out in affected areas. 

Iconic locales, such as the Secundrah Bagh in Lucknow, became powerful reminders of British retaliation, with open displays of violence against rebels.

Visual Representations and Memories Our understanding of the revolt is shaped heavily by British records, including official reports, diaries, and paintings. 

Visual depictions such as paintings like “Relief of Lucknow” celebrated the heroism of the British, while images in magazines like Punch expressed desires for vengeance. 

Indian bazaar prints and later nationalist artwork recast figures like Rani Lakshmibai and Nana Sahib as heroic and symbolic.

These contrasting images reveal shifting narratives—British visuals depicted themselves as saviours or avengers, and rebels as lawless threats, whereas by the twentieth century Indian artists depicted the rebels as freedom fighters, keeping the memory of 1857 alive in popular culture.

Timeline of Key Events

• 1801: Subsidiary Alliance imposed on Awadh.
• 1856: Awadh annexed; Nawab deposed.
• 10 May 1857: Rebellion begins in Meerut.
• 11–12 May 1857: Delhi captured; Bahadur Shah leads the revolt.
• Late May–June 1857: Uprisings spread across North India.
• 30 June 1857: British defeated at Chinhat.
• June 1858: Rani Lakshmibai dies in battle.

Assignments and Source Analysis NCERT questions encourage students to analyze why rebel sepoys returned to erstwhile rulers, the evidence for planning, and how religious beliefs shaped the revolt. 

Other topics include the measures behind rebel unity, British responses to the uprising, differences among social groups’ visions, and the impact of visual culture. Map skills and project work further help in understanding the spatial and social breadth of the uprising.

The chapter ends with suggested readings and project work, such as reading biographies of leaders like Rani Lakshmibai and analyzing films or visual sources for varied perspectives on 1857.

The Revolt of 1857 remains a pivotal chapter in Indian history, marked by deep social anxieties, shifting alliances, and a clash of cultures. 

The movement’s legacy lives on through both factual sources and visual memories, shaping our understanding of resistance and colonial power.

Class 12 History Chapter 10 Notes – Rebels and the Raj: Important Key Points for Revision

These Class 12 History Chapter 10 notes provide a clear summary of "Rebels and the Raj," covering the causes, spread, and effects of the 1857 revolt. With well-organized bullet points and accurate details, these revision notes make last-minute preparation efficient. The information is simple, highlights main events, and is based on trusted NCERT sources.

By using these History notes, students can quickly grasp important facts about the 1857 uprising, leaders involved, and British responses. The structured pointers help students revise for CBSE exams efficiently and understand the various factors behind the First War of Independence.