Spotlight On... The Sepoy Mutiny

The Sepoy Mutiny started because of the religious beliefs of the sepoys in British service. They believed the cow to be a sacred animal, and so would not eat it. When they were given new muskets that were made using fats and oils from cows (and would be required to rip open the packets with their teeth to reload), they rejected the idea and mutinied. The mutinies started on May 10th, 1857, and spread quickly. The rebellion was surpressed, but had it not been it would have been very bad for the East India Company's business, and bad for England, by extension. The Sepoy Mutiny is also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and India's First War of Independence.