Uprising

Sepoy Mutiny

On Sunday, May 10, 1857, a group of rebellious native troops in India rose up against the British, who had control of over two-thirds of India's land at this time. British rule over India had drastically affected the lives of the Indians, such as being forced to be a member of the British military. The "sepoys" (Indians enlisted in the British military) were growing tired of Britain taking advantage of them and decided to rebel. The first act of rebellion was a massacre in Meerut, where the sepoys killed every European they could find, placing themselves in the leadership of Mogul Emperor Bahadur Shah. This rebellion would be stopped by the British within six months, but the revolution was an important stepping stone for future colonial uprisings against European imperialism. The lasting effects of the uprising were that the British became aware of the potential strength of the Indian people and were forced to listen to the voices of the Indians in order to prevent future rebellions.