NCERT Class 10 Social Science Chapter 5 Print Culture and The Modern World

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NCERT Class 10 Social Science Chapter 5 Print Culture and The Modern World

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Print Culture and The Modern World

Chapter – 5

INDIA AND THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD – II (HISTORY)

TEXT BOOK QUESTIONS

WRITE IN BRIEF

Q. 1. Give reasons for the following: 

(a) Woodblock print only came to Europe after 1295.

Or

Woodblock print came to Europe after 1295. Give any three reasons to explain the above statement.

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Answer: Marco Polo, an Italian explorer, visited China and learnt the technology of woodblock printing (keep in mind this technology was already well-known in China). When he (Marco Polo) came back to Italy (a country of Europe) in 1295 C.E., he brought this printing knowledge book with him to Italy (or we may say Europe). Gradually woodblock print technology spread from Italy to other parts of Europe.

(b) Martin Luther was in favor of print and spoke out in praise of it.

Answer: In 1517, Martin Luther, the religious reformer wrote Ninety-Five Themes criticizing the corrupt practice of the Catholic Church (prevailing those days) and pasted these (themes) on the Church door in Wittenberg. Very soon thousands of copies of Luther’s themes were printed spreading his progressive ideas among the people of Italy and other parts of Europe. Martin Luther was deeply impressed by realizing the power of printing which brought religious re-information movement in Europe and later on world.

(c) The Roman Catholic Church began keeping an index of prohibited books from the mid-sixteenth century.

Or

Explain the role played by print in bringing about a division in the Roman Catholic Church.

Answer: Print and popular religious literature stimulated many distinctive individual interpretations of faith even among little educated working people. The Roman Catholic Church became a target of severe criticism. It was greatly disturbed by these developments. It could not tolerate any questioning of faith. So, in order to check this erosion of its authority and the damage of its prestige, the Church began to maintain an Index of Prohibited Books from 1558 onwards. Thus, it imposed severe controls over publishers and booksellers.

(d) Gandhi said the fight for Swaraj is a fight for liberty of speech, liberty of the press, and freedom of association.

Answer: The fight for Swaraj was, in fact, a fight for liberty of speech, liberty of the press and freedom of association. During the Non-Cooperation Movement in (1919-22 and 1930- 34). Gandhiji spoke about liberty, freedom of speech, press and association as essential components of Swaraj. To Gandhi Swaraj meant to achieve freedom of press before anything else.

Q. 2. Write short notes to show what you know about: 

(a) The Gutenberg Press.

Or

Who was Johann Gutenberg? Explain his Contribution in the field of printing.

Answer:  I. Johann Gutenberg was a German national, inventor of first Printing Press.

II. The Gutenberg Press: Conceptual observation of olive presses, experiment with stane-polishing, experience as master goldsmith and that of casting molds for ornaments finally, became stimuli to develop a Printing Press in a scientific life of this renowned personality. He published his first printed book on self-invented Printing Press in 1448 C.E. It was a Bible that took three years to print in 180 copies.

(b) Erasmus’s idea of the printed book.

Answer: Erasmus’s idea of the printed book: Topics in printed books should not make their presence before the public as increasing slothiness, inactivity, ignorance, mis-representation of facts, humor mongering and obscenity. He again had expressed his feelings that manifested in volumes of such books, would do nothing but fuel-up suspicion, savagery, lasciviousness and fanaticism in the nation as a whole.

(c) The Vernacular Press Act.

Answer: The Vernacular Press Act: The Vernacular press had become nationalist. The colonial government of India, therefore, thought of controlling it. Thus Lord Lytton passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878. The Act provided the government with extensive rights to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular press. This Act was against the freedom of press. Under it, when a newspaper report was judged seditions, the newspaper was warned, and if the warning was ignored the press was liable to be sieged and the printing machinery confiscated. But in spite of this repressive measure, the nationalist newspapers grew in numbers in all points of the country. They went on reporting misrule of the British government in India and encouraged nationalist activities.

Q. 3. What did the spread of print culture in nineteenth century India mean to:

(a) Women.

Answer: The spread of print culture among the Indian women: In the nineteenth century Indian society was very backward, Women were not treated equal with men. They were restricted by orthodox powerful and influential people to read, to get admission in school, to visit libraries etc. However, they artfully faced them and carried on their reading and literacy related attempts. e.g. Rashsundari Devi, who later wrote Amar Jiban in Bengali.

Subsequently, some women became noted educationists, authors, cartoonists like Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hussein. In brief, printed books/culture had remained a sensitive attitude of women in India.

(b) The Poor.

Answer: The spread of Press culture among the poor of India: Economically nineteenth century Indian society had disparity. Majority of the Indian people were very poor. They remained back-bencher because a hungry stomach treats reading, writing etc., literary works as luxury and asks first bread to survive. They could give only obscenity, crooks, malevolence from cheap literature available in glut those days. However, at surface, these books increased their choice for reading. Books like Chhote Aur Bade Ka Sawal, Gulamgiri etc., in fact, kept dalits of India away from the mainstream of Hindu society.

(c) Reformers.

Answer: The spread of print culture in 19th century India among reformers: In 19th century Indian society was having practice of several evil customs (such on Sati, ban on widow remarriage, infanticide, child marriage, Purda system, caste system, untouchability etc.). Several reformers have been working against these evils. They supported the use of print culture to remove above social evils from Indian society.

Some of the reformers started their own newspapers, weekly and fortnightly magazines. They wrote in favor of the spread of education. Some reformers earned their name as authors and nationalist leaders. They demanded liberty of the Indian press and opposed the Vernacular Press Act.

DISCUSS:

Q. 1. Why did some people in eighteenth century Europe think that print culture would bring enlightenment and end despotism?

Or

Explain the factors responsible for the invention of new printing spread to all parts of Europe.

Answer: Causes responsible for encouraging thinking in favor of print culture in 18th century Europe: Some people in 18th century Europe thought that print culture can play the role of a powerful tool in bringing enlightenment among the people as well as print culture will end disposition or monopoly of authoritarian rulers. Following reasons or arguments may be given in support of their thinking:

(i) Cheap means of propaganda: The cost of books was reduced. The time and labor required to produce each book came down, and multiple copies began to be produced with greater ease. As a result, books flooded the market, reaching out to an ever-growing readership.

(ii) Benefit of free press: Print culture or print media (books, newspapers, magazines etc.) provide opportunity of self-expression to each individual. Freedom of expression is seen in the form of free press that publishes books on rational thinking, scientific outlook, liberalism, humanism and democracy.

(iii) Increasing literacy rates in Europe: Literacy rates went up in almost all countries of the world. Schools were set-up even in villages, carrying literacy to peasants and artisans.

(iv) Progressive thinking among some enlightened people of Europe: Some progressive social leaders or reformers were having opinions. With the growth of print culture, a reading atmosphere could be created in Europe and common people could hear sacred texts read out collectively-A few among them had such an opinion.

(v) New developments in the field of printing press and literary works: The periodical press developed, combining information about current affairs with entertainment. Newspapers and journals carried information about war and trade, as well as news of developments in other places.

The ideas of scientists and philosophers became more accessible to the common people. Ancient and medieval scientific texts were compiled and published, and maps and scientific diagrams were widely printed. When scientists like Isaac Newton began to publish their discoveries, they could influence a much wider circle of scientifically minded readers. The writings of thinkers such as Thomas Paine, Voltaire and Jean Jacques Rousseau were also widely printed and read. Their ideas about science, reason and rationality revolutionized the minds of people.

Print culture transformed the lives of people and changed their relationship to information and knowledge and with institutions and authorities. It influenced popular perceptions and opened up new ways of looking at things.

Q. 2. Why did some people fear the effect of easily available printed books? Choose one example from Europe and one from India.

Answer: Easy availability of printed books created the possibility of wide circulation of ideas. Some people welcomed this change, whereas some people feared the diverse effects of it.

Causes of fear among some people:

(i) Major cause of fear among them was that if there was no control over what was printed and read, rebellious and irreligious thoughts might spread in those circumstances.

(ii) People of priest, monk and Bishop categories and monarchs took writers and artists as dangerous to their authority and influence among people- as their value- would have one down-when things they knew would be known to all.

(iii) Examples:

(a) One from Europe: Manocchio, a iller in Italy had acquired the ability to reinterpret the message of the Bible for which he was warned twice and finally, the inquisition (Trial Court) pronounced sentence to death against him.

(b) One from India: Many conservative Hindus and Muslims put restrictions upon reading books by women and vulnerable sections of society. Only upper and middle classes and castes were allowed to read books. 

Q. 3. What were the effects of the spread of print culture for poor people in nineteenth century India? 

Or

What was the impact of print culture on the poor people of India during the 19th century?

Answer: The effects of the spread of print culture for poor people in nineteenth century India:

(i) Large scale printing maintained reasonable prices for books and the poor too enjoyed reading.

(ii) Many of them got employment in printing presses and print shops. 

(iii) The spread of print culture helped to restrict excessive drinking among the poor, to bring literacy, to give way to the shackles of caste system and to propagate the message of nationalism.

(iv) They got aware of national, international and local news through cheap printed material.

(v) With the Vernacular Press, the nationalist ideas made home in the minds of poor people.

(vi) Caste discrimination brought up through print culture, associated poor people with nationalist freedom struggle.

Q. 4. Explain how print culture assisted the growth of nationalism in India.

Or

Explain how print culture had assisted the growth of nationalism in India in 19th century.

Answer: Role of Print Culture in growth of nationalism: There is no doubt that the print culture, both Indian press and the literature, also played a vital part in the growth of nationalism in India. In the nineteenth century, a large quantity of national literature was created which brought about a great revolution in the mind of the people and inspired them to fight against British imperialism. The Indian press also contributed in arousing the national consciousness among the people of India.

(i) The first print of its own kind was The Bengal Gazette, a weekly magazine that began to reveal all secrets about the East India Company. These helped educated Indians understand the real intention of the Company. Its editor was James Augusths.

(ii) ‘Bengal Gazette’ in Bengali was brought out also by Gangadhar Bhattacharya and highlighted social evils that had dispersed people of India and were causing slavery of the English Company.

(iii) Newspapers like the ‘Indian Mirror’. ‘Bombay Samachar’, ‘The Amrita Bazar Patrika’, The Hindu’, ‘The Kesari’ and several others had a great influence on the political life of this country.

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