The uprising of 1857 marks India's first war of independence. The revolt is attributed to the efforts of disaffected sepoys, Muslim elites unhappy with British rule, and the organizing of a number of Indian rulers. The main reason for the war was that Indians were unhappy with British efforts to erode their traditions, especially after the introduction of Christianization. The Indians intended to take what they had back to Britain. Even though the Indians thought they would succeed in their revolt, the British army managed to defeat them. Following the uprising, Britain took full control of India. Trade between Europe and Asia opened up during the 1500s, with sea routes becoming the alternative to land routes. The voyages of English traders along the Indian coast marked British interests in India. In 1600, some traders founded the East India Company, which later became one of the richest and most influential trading organizations in the world. After its establishment, the company built trading centers and forts in premeditated areas all over India. Similarly, the French East India Company built posts and forts to challenge Britain's authority over Indian trade. In 1757, the East India Company, using the British and Indian army, succeeded in defeating the French in the Plassey War. Over the next 100 years, Britain expanded its territory in India through battles and trade actions. British authority expanded rapidly, notably with the annexation of Punjab in 1848 and Awadh in 1856. The last defeat of Punjab took place. frustrated many soldiers of the Bengal Army who had received extra pay, or batta, for ...... middle of newspaper ...... warupa "Economic and Political Weekly". 1857 and Ideas about the Nation in Bengal: Nuances and Themes 42, no. 19 (May 18, 2007): 1762-69. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4419582.Mukherjee, Rudrangshu. Awadh in revolt, 1857-1858: a study of popular resistance. Delhi: Permanent Black, 2002.Pati, Biswamoy. The Rebellion of 1857. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2007. Pati, Biswamoy. The great rebellion of 1857 in India: exploration of transgressions, contests and diversities. London: Routledge, 2010. Singh, Ganda. The Indian Mutiny of 1857 and the Sikhs. New Delhi: Gutenberg Printing Press, 1969. Streets, Heather. “The Rebellion of 1857: Origins, Consequences and Themes.” An Internet Journal of Education 1, no. 1 (2001): 85-104. Wagner, Kim A. The Great Fear of 1857: Rumors, Plots, and the Genesis of the Indian Uprising. Oxford: Peter Lange, 2010.