A historian reads printed volumes that gather the innumerable memos,…

A historian reads printed volumes that gather the innumerable memos, notes, assessments of situations and reports produced during the revolt of 1857. What do these volumes chiefly tell her about?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (1) → The fears and anxieties of officials and their perception of the rebels

Option (1) The fears and anxieties of officials and their perception of the rebels — Correct. These volumes are the mutiny records, a collection of colonial memos, notes and reports. They show the official mindset: the fears and anxieties of officials and how they saw the rebels.

Option (2) The aims of rebel leaders and their vision of a new political order — Incorrect. Rebel aims come from the few rebel proclamations, notifications and letters. Records from the rebels' side are very few, and these volumes are British official papers.

Option (3) The anger of the British public and its demands for retribution — Incorrect. Public anger and calls for revenge were stirred by British newspapers and magazines. That is a different source from official memos and reports.

Option (4) The grievances of sepoys and their fears about the greased cartridges — Incorrect. Sepoy grievances are known mainly through what officials and others wrote about them. The mutiny records chiefly reveal the officials' own fears and their view of the rebels.

NCERT (2026-27): “5. Images of the Revolt …
As we have seen, we have very few records on the rebels’ point of view. There are a few rebel proclamations and notifications, as also some letters that rebel leaders wrote. But historians till now have continued to discuss rebel actions primarily through accounts written by the British. Official accounts, of course, abound: colonial administrators and military men left their versions in letters and diaries, autobiographies and official histories. We can also gauge the official mindset and the changing British attitudes through the innumerable memos and notes, assessments of situations, and reports that were produced. Many of these have now been collected in a set of volumes on mutiny records. These tell us about the fears and anxieties of officials and their perception of the rebels. …”

A historian reads printed volumes that gather the innumerable memos, notes, assessments of situations and reports produced during the revolt of 1857. What do these volumes chiefly tell her about?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (1) → The fears and anxieties of officials and their perception of the rebels