Final answer:
Indians failed to unite against the British due to internal religious, ethnic, and geographic divisions, leading to the establishment of the British Raj. The American Revolutionary War saw complex tribal allegiances, where most Indian tribes favored the British to protect their lands, notwithstanding some exceptions that either remained neutral or sided with the Americans.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Indians did not unite against the British during the rebellion primarily due to deep-seated religious, ethnic, and geographic divisions. Despite outnumbering the British forces during the mutiny, these internal conflicts hindered a united Indian front. While the British were unified, Indians were not, leading to a British declaration of victory and subsequent direct rule known as the British Raj.
Initial alignments during the American Revolutionary War saw many Indian tribes support the British, fearing American victory would entail expansive land loss. However, neutrality was complicated; the Iroquois Confederacy attempted a neutral stance, although divisions within the confederacy led to mixed allegiances, with some siding with the British and others maintaining neutrality or supporting the Americans.
After fierce battles and war crimes, the British declared victory in 1859, leading to the direct rule of British India until its independence in 1947.The British hoped that an elite class of Western-educated Indians would support British rule in India, but this expectation was overturned as these educated elites led nationalist movements towards the late 1800s, seeking to end imperial rule.