Brendan Haggerty

Mr. Malone
AP World History
3/10/18
The causes of the Sepoy rebellion
A new norm to society now is rebellions, rebellions are coming more often, the main

cause of these rebellions is oppression. Throughout the globe there have been many rebellions

during this period. These rebellions are happening because larger states/nations are taking

advantage of smaller states/nations. The main inspiration for these rebellions was the

enlightenment. The enlightenment challenged authorities, and spurred rebellions. The sepoy

rebellion was another challenge to authority. The British are in India to gain resources, while

they are there they are oppressing the people. The sepoy rebellion started because the British

oppressed the sepoy through their forced religion and their unfair ways.

The British forced their religion upon the sepoy and that was one of the largest reasons

for the uprising and the rebellion. In document A it talks about how the natives were shown

about the new guns of the world. The Native religion holds the cow sacred and the new gun

bullets are greased with what was believed with cow fat. The locals were never told that it was

not greased with cow fat, so most were very mad at the British because they believed that the

cartridges were greased with cow fat. The point of view for this document because it is coming

from an English historian, because this article is coming from him he is making the locals look

bad by calling them ignorant. The audience for this article is for young students, to teach them

that the sepoy was at fault, when they were only suspicious because it was part of their religion.

The purpose of making this document was to make the Native religion look bad. In document E

it talks about how the sepoys were not only oppressed religiously but they were oppressed in
other ways too. The point of view of this document is from Joseph Coohill, a professor. This

point of view is important because it is unbiased and can tell us a lot. It says in this document

that the sepoy’s status and pay have declined. The sepoys did not have the respect they needed.

When Oudh was taken over that was the main reason the sepoys rebelled. The audience for this

document is important because it is for anyone who wants an unbiased source. The purpose for

making this document was to show a true account of what really happened during the sepoy

rebellion. In document C it talks about how the British oppress the sepoy religiously. It says that

they were oppressed through means of forced use of what they thought to be cow fat. Killing

cows was strictly against their religion. The point of view of this document is from Sita Ram a

loyal native to the British. This point of view is important because it shows they the people felt

betrayed by the British. The audience for tis document was most likely to other sepoy, to show

that even those loyal to the British are being betrayed. The purpose was to show that the sepoy

were truly being oppressed.

To conclude, the sepoy was oppressed religiously and through other means like pay,

status, and the taking of Oudh. The British failed to show the sepoy respect to their religion

which was very important to them and this was the ultimate cause in the uprising that caused the

death of many. That was how the sepoy were oppressed by the British.