The cartridge incident was when Indian soldiers discovered that the new gunpowder cartridges for their rifles, which they would tear open with their teeth, were greased with animal fat from cows and pigs, which violated religious tenets of Hindus against consuming cow and Muslims against consuming pig. Britain supplying these fat-greased cartridges revealed their disregard for the Indians and their religious beliefs. It showed that Britain's attitude toward the Indian people was one of using them, not treating them as a culture worthy of consideration.