Explain the nature of the Revolt of 1857. Was it a sepoy mutiny or a war of independence?

1. 1 · Open with the debate. British historians called 1857 a sepoy mutiny, while Indians today see it as the First War of Independence.
2. 2 · Why some call it a mutiny. It began with sepoys at Barrackpore and Meerut, and earlier sepoy revolts, such as Vellore in 1806, never left the cantonment.
3. 3 · Why it was more than a mutiny. Peasants, artisans and talukdars joined in large numbers, and in some places the people rose before the sepoys.
4. 4 · The unity it showed. Hindus and Muslims, landlords and peasants, and different regions fought together against one foe.
5. 5 · Close in one line. So it was a popular revolt, the first nationalist struggle against foreign rule.

Scoring tip: Give both views first, then your judgement with two reasons. Do not just list events of the revolt.