Names of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 facts for kids

The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising against British rule in India. It happened in 1857. People have called this event many different names. Some call it a "war of independence," while others call it a "rebellion" or a "mutiny." These different names show how people saw the event differently. Indian writers often see it as a key part of India's fight for freedom. British writers sometimes saw it as a military problem.

How the British Named the 1857 Uprising

When the events of 1857 happened, the British and Europeans often used certain names. The most common names were Sepoy Mutiny and Indian Mutiny. A "mutiny" means a revolt by soldiers against their officers.

Some people at the time, who were against the British Empire, thought these names were unfair. They believed the uprising was more than just soldiers rebelling. They used terms like Indian Insurrection to describe it. Later, a scholar named Karl Marx called the events a "national revolt." However, he also used the term Sepoy Revolt in his writings.

How Indians Named the 1857 Uprising

Many Indian writers and leaders have given the 1857 uprising different names. They often see it as a fight for India's freedom.

"War of Independence"

The term War of Independence was first used by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. He wrote a book in 1909 called The History of the War of Indian Independence. This book was first written in the Marathi language.

The word "first" was added later. It appeared in a 1945 edition of Savarkar's book. This edition was published in Kuala Lumpur by the Indian National Army (INA). It was titled The Volcano, or The First War of Indian Independence.

Karl Marx and the Term "First"

Even though Karl Marx never used "war of independence," a book of his articles was published in 1959. This book was titled The First Indian War of Independence 1857–1859. It was published in Moscow. The title of this English book might have been inspired by Savarkar's work. Some writers have wrongly said that Karl Marx created the term "First War of Independence."

India's Government and the Name

Jawaharlal Nehru, who was India's first Prime Minister, strongly believed in using the term First War of Independence. Because of his influence, the Government of India officially adopted this name for the event.

Debates About the Name

Not everyone agrees on calling the 1857 uprising the "First War of Independence." There have been some debates about this name.

Views from South India

Some historians from South India have disagreed with the government's choice of name. They have even tried to challenge it in court. These historians point out that other uprisings against the British happened before 1857. For example, the Vellore Mutiny happened in 1806. They believe these earlier events should be called the "First War of Indian Independence."

In 2006, India's postal department released a stamp for the Vellore Mutiny. M. Karunanidhi, a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, said this stamp recognized India's "first war of independence."

Views from Sikh Groups

Some Sikh groups also have different ideas about the name. They argue that the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–46) should be called the First War of Independence. This is even though other local wars against the British happened before that. In 2007, some MPs from Punjab protested. They disagreed with celebrating the 150th anniversary of the 1857 revolt using that name.

Other Perspectives

Some Indian writers also believe that none of the armed uprisings against the British should be called a "war of independence." They argue that these uprisings, including the one in 1857, were not truly national. They also say these events were not mainly driven by a feeling of nationalism. Instead, they involved only a small number of people or soldiers.