Identifying Bias in History: The Sepoy Rebellion

Spot bias in history! Analyze Sepoy Rebellion accounts for emotive language and author perspective.

The Indian Revolt by Charles Creighton Hazewell The cause was the punishment of eighty-five Indian soldiers of the 3rd Light Cavalry, who had refused to use the new cartridges and had been sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. On Saturday, the 9th, the men were put in irons, in presence of their fellow soldiers, and marched off to jail.On Sunday, the 10th, just at the time of evening service, the mutiny broke out. Three regiments left their lines, fell upon every European, man, woman, or child, they met or could find, murdered them all, burnt half the houses in the station, and, after working such a night of mischief and horror as devils might have delighted in, marched off to Delhi, where there were three other regiments ripe for rebellion.On the meeting of the two groups, the horrors of the mutiny were repeated in the city, and every European who could be found was massacred with revolting barbarity. Complete massacre of the ruling race was felt to be the only chance of safety; so no one of the ruling race was spared. What are some "emotional words" that may demonstrate bias in the passage? Read the passage and pick out words that were used purposely to cause an emotional response from the reader. For example, Charles Hazewell calls the Indians rebelling "devils" this is an unnecessary word but he uses it to evoke emotion out of the reader. What does the author say the Indian Soldiers did to Europeans on Sunday the 10th? Marched them all off in chains to jail Murdered any European they could find including women and children Left for Delhi in peaceful protest of the gun cartridges How does the author describe the actions of the Indian soldiers? How is the way Charles Hazewell describes Indian's similar to the way Rudyard Kipling described indigenous people in his poem The White Man's Burden? On a scale of 1-5 (1 being least biased and 5 being most biased), what would you rate this article? 1 2 3 4 5 How does the author's nationality (British) help explain why he described the rebellion the way he did? What was his purpose in writing this? Letter Against the British by Moulavy Syad Kutb Shah Sahib The cause of this revolt was not just a simple rifle cartridge. The true cause of this rebellion is the fact that the British are people who want to destroy all religions. They have for a long time brought out numbers of preachers to spread their own beliefs and convert our people - this has been learned from one of their own trusted agents. . . .It is true the British ordered the Hindus and others of their army to bite cartridges with animal fat on them. Both the Hindus and Muslims fear this would violate their religious beliefs. I believe that this was because the British wanted to ruin and utterly destroy the faith of both Hindus and Muslims alike.. . . . It is now my firm belief that if these British continue in India they will murder everyone in the country, and will utterly overthrow our religions... All you Hindus and Muslims must unite to slaughter the British, for by this alone will our lives and faith both be saved. What are some "emotional words" that may demonstrate bias in the passage? Read the passage and pick out words that were used purposely to cause an emotional response from the reader. For example, Moulavy Syad Kutb Shah Sahib uses the term "utterly destroy" when writing about what the British did in India. What does the author say caused the Sepoy Rebellion? The rifle cartridges The murder of Indian people That Britain was trying to destroy religion How does the author say the British are trying to destroy India's religion? How does the author characterize the British? Murderers Saviors From a scale of 1-5 (1 being the least biased and 5 being the most biased), what would you rate this source? 1 2 3 4 5 How does the author's nationality (Indian) help explain why he described the rebellion the way he did? What was his purpose in writing this? Which source do you think is more reliable? Is either source reliable? Why or why not? Bias helps us determine whether a source is reliable or not. If a source is very biased it is most likely unreliable because it does not take into consideration all sides of the story and may stretch the truth in order to make the thing they agree with sound better than it actually is.6 Points for naming the source that is most reliable or stating that neither source is reliable.10 Points for the WHY it is or is not reliable