The Sepoy Mutiny (1857)

This mutiny took place in India, one of Britain's most treasured colonies. What first started this huge uprising was the Enfield rifles that the sepoys, or Indian soldiers under British rule, were using. They heard that the cartridges for these guns were greased in pig and beef fat. This was incredibly insulting to the sepoys because they were all either Muslin or Hindu. Muslims regard the pig as sacred, and Hindus feel the same about cows. This set them off because the soldiers had to rip open the cartridge with their teeth. Because of their outrage, the sepoys mutinied and eventually it became an organized rebellion, where they took over Delhi and Kanpur. The mutiny was eventually violently crushed by British troops, who took back control over both Delhi and Kanpur.