Prior to 1857 the peasants largely rebelled for the restoration of their previous rights. That is to say, between 1765 and 1857 the peasants were led by Hindu and Muslim petty rulers. The peasants under their leadership revolted either against the conquest by the British and against imposition of heavy revenues.

In any case the goals of such movements were expulsion of the British and reversion to the previous ruler and the land relations. Kathleen Gough mentions the revolt of Raja Chait Singh and other Hindu and Muslim zamindars of Oudh to be some major peasants uprising during the period. Thus it may be concluded that the peasants’ rebellion of the pre-1857 period was restorative in nature.