Notes

The war was short-lived as many some people wanted the Indian royal family or the Mughal emperor at power instead of the foreign invaders. The Mughal emperor was forced to rule under British protection and the royal family had been moved to a less well-known location in Qutub-shah. Thus the war was short-lived due to the lack of common goals.
The war also failed as some people wanted their cultural and religious freedom. The British had banned Indian traditions like Suttee. Muslims opposed the Christian missionaries and schools and wanted Islam to spread. Thus the war was short-lived as people were not united in their aim.
Other reasons for the failure of the war was the lack of unity. Rebellions sprouted up in many different locations like Delhi but the people never worked together. Thus the war was short-lived due to the lack of cooperation amongst the people.
Another reason the war was short-lived was due to the lack of experience of the people. Many of the rebels were not trained properly and neither were the generals or leaders, this meant they were unable to plan successfully. Thus the war failed due to the lack of experience.
Lastly the war was short-lived due to the British strength. The British had several successes in previous battles like the battle of Buxar, Plassey etc. They had educated and experienced soldiers and leaders. Thus the war failed due to how strong the Brtish were.