Print Culture Notes

7 PRINT CULTURE AND THE MODERN WORLD
CONCEPT
SECTION A — THE FIRST PRINTED BOOKS
l Print technology was developed in China, Japan and Korea first.
l It was a system of handprinting. From AD 594, books were printed by rubbing paper against
the inked surface of wood blocks. Chinese books were folded and stitched at the sides.
l Skilled craftsmen duplicated, with remarkable accuracy, the beautiful calligraphy.
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l China was a major producer of printed material for a long time.
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l 17th century : Print diversified. Merchants used print in their everyday life. Reading
became a popular leisure activity. Rich women, wives of scholar-officials, published their
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plays and poetry.
l By the 19th century : Western powers started exporting new technology to China. Shift from
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handprinting to mechanical printing.
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The oldest printed book known is a Japanese Buddhist book, the Diamond Sutra printed
in AD 868.
Buddhist missionaries from China introduced handprinting technology in Japan around
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768-770 AD.
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In the 18th century : Edo (Tokyo) published illustrated collection of paintings, showing
urban culture; hundreds of books published on cooking, famous places, women, musical
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instruments, tea ceremony. etc.

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From Japan, this art travelled to Europe and the USA.

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SECTION B — PRINT COMES TO EUROPE

In 1295, Marco Polo, a great Italian explorer, brought the art of wood block printing from
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China to Italy. From Italy it spread to other European countries.
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l So far handwritten, expensive books were written on vellum, a parchment made from the
skin of animals, for the rich only.
l Popularity of books led to book fairs in all parts of Europe but handwritten books were
expensive, time-consuming, fragile and awkward to carry.
l First Printing Press – invented by Johann Gutenberg of Germany in the 1430s.
l Gutenberg, son of a merchant, mastered printing technique by 1448. First book he printed
was the Bible. It took him 3 years to print 180 copies.
l From 1450-1550 printing presses were set up in most countries of Europe. The second half
of the 15th century saw 20 million printed books in Europe, by the 16th century the number
was 200 million copies.
l William Caxton set up the first printing press in England.
l The shift from handprinting to mechanical printing led to the Print Revolution.
New Wave Social Science–X (Term 1)
SECTION C — PRINT REVOLUTION AND ITS IMPACT
l Print Revolution transformed the lives of the people; changed their relationship to
information and knowledge; opened up new ways of looking at things.
l A New Reading Public emerged due to low cost of books, multiple production of books
quickly, reaching out to an evergrowing eager readership.
l Book reading led to a new culture of reading. Common people heard sacred texts in the
forms of ballads recited and folk tales narrated, knowledge to them was given orally.
l Oral Culture was now replaced by print culture.
l Publishers chose themes which were enjoyed listening to, as rate of literacy was still low till
the 20th century in most European countries. Books were sung and recited in gatherings in
villages and taverns in towns.
l Print led to religious debates and fear of print.
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l People could express their ideas in print and spread them. Fear of books spread.
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l Rebellious and irreligious thoughts could be spread by new books.
Many writers, artists, religious authorities and monarchs were worried about the loss of
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valuable literature due to uncontrolled printed works.
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l Martin Luther wrote Ninety Five Theses in 1517, criticising the Roman Catholic Church
for its many rituals. It ultimately led to a division within the Church and the beginning of
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Reformation and Protestantism in Christianity.
l Luther translated the New Testament into German and it sold 5,000 copies in a few weeks.
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Lather called Printing. “the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one”.
Dissent became a part of print. The clergy became afraid of the new awakening.
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l Erasmus, a Latin scholar and a Catholic reformer, expressed deep fear of printing, accusing
the printers for filling the world with slanderous, irreligious and seditious books.
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l Catholic Church began inquisition to repress heretical ideas.

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l They began to maintain an Index of Prohibited Books from 1558.

l The 17th and 18th centuries saw the rise of literacy rates in almost all parts of Europe.
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l This led to the reading mania. People wanted more books.

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l Ideas of Issac Newton, Thomas Paine, Voltaire and Rousseau reached a larger public and
their ideas about science, reason and nation became popular literature.
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l Result was different types of books being published – Ballads, almanacs, newspapers,
magazines, journals.
l They gave information about current affairs, prices of various commodities, new discoveries,
socio-cultural and political functions.
l Booksellers sold books through hawkers, from village to village. Chap books (cheap books
sold for a penny) were sold by hawkers called chapmen in England, low-priced books called
Biliotheque Bleue sold in France.
l By the mid-18th century books were believed to be means of spreading progress and
enlightenment. Books would liberate society from the tyranny and despotism. Reason and
intellect would reign.
l Mercier, a French novelist, proclaimed : ‘Tremble, therefore, tyrants of the world! Tremble
before the virtual writer!’
Print Culture and the Modern World
l Many historians believe that it was the print culture that created conditions which led to
the French Revolution.
l 19th century saw children, women and workers becoming new readers.
l Books for children, textbooks, folk tales were published.
l Women not only became important readers but also writers. Some of the best
known novelists of the 19th century were women – Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters,
George Eliot.
l Lending libraries in England became instruments of education for white-collar workers,
artisans and lower middle-class people.
l Innovations in Print technology were made throughout the 19th century – (i) Power-driven
cylindrical press produced 8000 sheets per hour, (ii) Offset press developed and printed
up to six colours at a time (iii) electrically-operated presses accelerated printing operations.
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l New strategies in selling – (i) Serialised novels (ii) Cheap series called the Shilling Series
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(iii) The dust cover jacket.
The Great Depression of the 1930s led to cheap paperback editions.
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l Impact of Print Revolution felt in reading, publishing, growth of ideas, knowledge and new
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ways of looking at things.
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SECTION D — INDIA AND THE WORLD OF PRINT
l India has a very old and rich tradition of handwritten manuscripts – in Sanskrit, Arabic,
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Persian as well as vernacular languages.

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l Problems of Handwritten books : (i) very expensive (ii) very fragile, (iii) had to be handled
carefully and (iv) script written in different styles – could not be read easily.
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l Print comes to India in the mid-16th century to Goa, brought by the Portuguese.
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l In 1579, Catholics print first Tamil book at Cochin. In 1773, the first Malayalam book was
printed by them. Dutch Protestant missionaries print 32 Tamil texts.
First regular periodical in India, Hickey’s Bengal Gazette, in English in the late 17th century.
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l First Indian Newspaper to appear, the weekly, Bengal Gazette by Raja Rammohun Roy’s
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associate Gangadhar Bhattacharya.

Early 19th century, age of reforms, intense debates around religious issues.
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l Traditional practices criticised, new ideas emerged.

l Hindu Orthodoxy debated widow remarriage, sati, monotheism, idolatry and Brahmanical
priesthood.
l Rammohun Roy published Sambad Kaunudi from 1821. Hindu Orthodoxy published
Samachar Chandrika to oppose his ideas.
l Two Persian newspapers published – Jam-i-Jahan Nama and Shamsul Akhbar.
l Gujarati newspaper Bombay Samachar was published from 1822.
l The Ulema, afraid of the English changing the Muslim Personal Laws, printed newspapers
in Urdu and Persian.
l Deoband Seminary, founded in 1867, published fatwas telling Muslims how to behave.
l Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas was first printed from Calcutta in 1810.

l The Naval Kishore Press of Lucknow, known as the most prestigious publishing house in this
period, made great contribution to Urdu publication.
l Shri Venkateshwar Press of Bombay, another famous firm, published literature in vernacular
languages.
l Thus, print connected various people, communities, sects in different parts of the country.
l It contributed to the growth of pan-Indian identities.
SECTION E — NEW FORMS OF PUBLICATION

l Printing created a desire for new kinds of writing.
l The novel soon became a distinct form of print. Other genres of writing were lyrics, short
stories, essays about social and political matters.
l A new visual culture was born – painters like Ravi Varma produced images for mass
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circulation.
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l People could decorate their houses with cheap prints and calendars, even the poor could
afford them.
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l Cartoons and caricatures in pro-British publications lampooned nationalists and nationalist
cartoons criticised imperial rule. ak
l Women were affected by print culture. Literate fathers and brothers started educating them.
Schools for women were set up.
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l There were dissenters too. Hindus believed that an educated woman would be widowed soon.
Muslims believed she would be corrupted by reading Urdu romances. Some rebellious
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women defied this prohibition.
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l Examples : A girl from conservative Muslim family learnt Urdu herself. (ii) In the early 19th
century, Rashsundari Debi, a young married girl learnt to read in the secrecy of her kitchen.
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She later wrote her autobiography, Amar Jiban in 1876.

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Women Writers from 1860 onwards were :

(i) Kailashbashini Debi, a Bengali, wrote how women were imprisoned at home, denied
education, forced to do hard domestic work and was treated unjustly.
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(ii) Tarabai Shinde and Pandita Ramabai of Maharashtra wrote in 1880s, about the plight
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of upper-caste Hindu women, specially widows, with great anger.

(iii) A Tamil novel expressed through a woman character about reading denied to women.
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(iv) Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossein, a noted educationist and literary figure, condemned
men for denying education to women.
l By the 1870s, Hindi printing progressed.
l In Punjab : Early 20th century, Ram Chaddha’s Istri Dharam Vichar, taught women to be
obedient housewives.
The Khalsa Tract Society published many cheap booklets with the same message. Battala, an
entire area in Central Calcutta, was totally devoted to printing popular books, sold by pedlars
from door to door.
l Print and Poor People : Poor people could now buy cheap small books sold at crossroads.
Public libraries were set up in early 20th century.
l Jyotiba Phule, a Maratha reform pioneer, wrote on behalf of low-castes. His Gulamgiri
(1871) highlighted the injustices of caste system.
l In the 20th century, Dr B.R. Ambedkar of Maharashtra and E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker in
Madras (known as Periyar) wrote against the caste system, read by people all over India.
l Workers like Kashibaba wrote and published Chhote Aur Bade Ka Sawal in 1938. An
expose’ of caste and class distinctions.
l A millworker of Kanpur wrote under the name of ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ between 1935-1955,
a collection named Sacchi Kavitayan.
l Millworkers of Bangalore cotton mills set up libraries to educate themselves.
SECTION F — PRINT AND CENSORSHIP

l Before 1798, colonial rulers (East India Company) did not impose censorship.
l The 1820s saw the Calcutta Supreme Court pass regulations to control freedom of press.
l The Revolt of 1857 changed the attitude of the British. Englishmen demanded repression of
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the ‘Native Press’.
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l In 1878, Vernacular Press Act was passed.
It gave the government extensive rights to censor reports and editorials in vernacular newspapers.
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l Militant protests and publication of more nationalist newspapers was the reaction.
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l Punjab revolutionaries were deported in 1907. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was imprisoned in 1908 for
writing against the deportation in his Kesari. Gandhiji condemned the Vernacular Press Act in
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1922. He saw freedom of press as a powerful vehicle of expressing and cultivating public opinion.
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I. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
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A. NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

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Q.1. Why did woodblock print come to Europe only after 1295?
Ans. Marco Polo, a great Itatian explorer, visited China in 1295. He brought the technology of
woodblock printing from China to Italy. From Italy, it spread to other parts of Europe.
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Q.2. Why did Gandhiji say that the ‘fight for Swaraj’ is a fight for liberty of speech, liberty
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of the press, and freedom of association? (2010)

Ans. Various Acts passed by the British Government like the Defence of India Act, the Vernacular
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Press Act and suppression of about 42 newspapers during the First World War, deportation of
Balgangadhar Tilak made Gandhiji make this remark in 1922.
Q.3. Give reasons for the following :
(a) Martin Luther was in favour of print and spoke out in praise of it. (2010)
(b) The Roman Catholic Church began keeping an index of prohibited books from the
mid-sixteenth century. (2010)
Ans. (a) Martin Luther was a religious reformer of Germany. He wrote ‘Ninety Five Theses’,
criticising many of the practices and rituals of the Roman Catholic Church. A printed copy
of this was posted on a church door in Wittenberg. Luther’s writings were reproduced and
circulated widely. They were read by a large number of people and his reformative ideas
ultimately led to a division of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther was full of praise for
the print media. He said, “Printing is a gift of God and the greatest one.”
(b) People wanted to know more and more about their religion and about their church. This
made the clergy afraid of the new awakening. They saw it as a threat to their privileges,
to their monopoly of interpreting religious texts and thus to their incomes. They felt that
free print material can make the people rebel against the established religion. With this
fear in mind, the Roman Catholic Church imposed several controls over publishers and
booksellers. They began to maintain an Index of Prohibited Books from 1558 onwards.
Q.4. Write short notes to show what you know about
(a) Erasmus’ idea of the printed books. (2010)
(b) What was the new type of literature that appeared in the 16th and 17th centuries?
Ans. (a) Erasmus (1466–1533) was a great Catholic reformer of Holland. He was the pioneer of
Reformation in Holland. He criticised the excesses of catholicism but kept his distance
from Martin Luther. In some of his famous works, he criticised the corrupt and immoral
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life of the Pope and the clergymen. He was afraid of the influence of printed books. He
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wrote in 1508 in Adages, “Swarms of new books ...... create a glut and even in good things
satiety is most harmful. ..... [Printers] fill the world with books, not just trifling things
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....... [such as I write] ....... but with stupid ignorant, slanderous, irreligious and seditious
books. ........ and the number of them make the valuable books lose their value.”
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(b) The literacy rate went up from 16th to 18th century and by the end of 18th century the
rate was as high as 60-80 per cent. This brought up new forms of literature in print meant
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for new audiences. There were almanacs, calendars, along with ballads and folktales. In
England cheap penny chap books appeared and in France low-priced small books, printed
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on poor quality paper, appeared. They were known as Biliotheque Bleue. There were
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‘romances’ and ‘histories’. The periodical press developed and gave information on every
kind of subjects — wars, trade and new developments in other places.
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Q.5. Write a short note on the Vernacular Press Act. (2010)

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Ans. The Vernacular Press Act was passed in 1878, based on the Irish Press Laws.
(i) It gave the government extensive rights to censor reports and editorials in the
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vernacular press.
(ii) The government started keeping regular track of all newspapers published in the
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provinces.
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(iii) Any article, deemed seditious, led to a warning, and then followed a seizure of the press
and confiscation of the publishing machinery.
Q.6. How was the freedom of press regulated?
Ans. The Calcutta Supreme Court passed certain regulations in 1820 to control press freedom. The
company encouraged newspapers loyal to the British rule. In 1835, the Governor-General Lord
William Bentinck agreed to revise newspaper laws on the request of editors of English and
vernacular newspapers. Thomas Macauley helped him to formulate these rules.
Q.7. What did the spread of print culture in the 19th century India mean to : (a) women
(b) the poor (c) the reformers? (2010)
Ans. (a) Women : (i) Women’s reading increased due to education at home and later, in
women’s schools.
(ii) Many journals were written for women by women. They contained everything that
would interest a woman — household hints, fashions, rituals. Novels in vernacular
languages (Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil and Marathi) highlighted the miserable conditions
of women in society. They spoke against denial of education to women, supported widow
remarriage and national movement. They serialised stories and provided entertainment to
women. Many families were not liberal but conservative. Hindus and Muslims feared that
educated women would by corrupted. There were many rebellious women who defied all
prohibitions against learning.
(b) The Poor : The spread of education in the 19th century made everyone — rich or poor,
man or woman, old or young — crazy about reading. Public libraries were opened in big
towns, cities and big villages, which made reading accessible to the general public. Some
millworkers of Kanpur wrote books about the desperate conditions of the poor. Chief
among them were Kashibaba, who wrote Chhote Aur Bade Ka Sawal in 1938 against the
caste and class distinctions. Poems of another mill-worker, named Sudarshan Chakra,
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between 1935 and 1955 were published as Sachchi Kavitayen. By the 1930s, Bangalore
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cotton workers also set up libraries to educate themselves. Social reformers sponsored
these libraries to restrict drinking among the workers and to bring literacy to them.
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(c) The Reformers : Social reformers like Jyotiba Phule, the Maratha pioneer of ‘low caste’,
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wrote about injustices of the caste system in his Gulamgiri in 1871.
Issues of caste distinction began to be written about in many printed tracts and essays.
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Later in the 20th century, B.R. Ambedkar of Maharashtra and E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker
in Madras, better known as Periyar, wrote powerfully on caste and their writings were read
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all over India. Local protest movements and sects also created a lot of popular journals
criticising ancient scriptures and looking forward to a new and just future.
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Q.8. Why did some people in the 18th century Europe think that the print culture would bring
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enlightenment and end despotism? (2010)

Ans. In the 18th century, many believed that books were means of spreading progress and
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enlightenment. They believed that books could change the world. They would end tyranny and
free society from despotism. The world would begin a new era of reason and intellect. One
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famous novelist of the 18th century, Louise Sebastian Mercier of France, declared that printing
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press was the most powerful engine of progress and public opinion was the force that would
sweep away despotism. In his books, heroes were changed and affected by reading. They
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became better, more knowledgeable by reading books. Mercier proclaimed : “Tremble,

therefore, tyrants of the world! Tremble before the virtual writer!”
Another reason was the ideas of scientists and philosophers were now available to the common
people. The ideas of Thomas Paine, Voltaire, Rousseau were widely read and understood by
the common people. They saw the world through new eyes.
Q.9. Why did some people fear the effect of easily available printed books? Choose one
example from Europe and one from India.
Ans. Europe : Many people were afraid of the effect of the printed word on people’s minds. They
thought easy access to printed matter would make them rebellious and irreligious. That would
lead to “valuable” literature to be destroyed. Religious authorities and monarchs were the ones
most afraid.
One example is of Martin Luther’s Ninety Five Theses, which criticised the many practices and
rituals of the Roman Catholic Church. His writings led to the beginning of the Protestant
Reformation. Print and popular religious literature stimulated many interpretations of the faith
even among not so educated working class. The Roman Church was so disturbed that it began
inquisition to repress heretical ideas and impose severe controls over publishers and
book-sellers to stop the spread of “heretical ideas.”
India : In India, easily available books led to new interpretations of the beliefs and conflict
between reformers and conservatives. Religious ideas reached a wider public and encouraged
debates and controversies within and among different religions. Conservative Hindus believed
that books would influence women and they would be widowed early. Muslims thought their
women would be corrupted by easy access to reading. The Ulema were deeply afraid that new
ideas would lead to the collapse of Muslim personal laws. The Deoband Seminary, founded
in 1867, published thousands upon thousands of fatwas telling Muslims how to conduct
themselves. Hindu Orthodoxy started a journal Samachar Chandrika to oppose the views of
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the reformer, Raja Rammohun Roy published in Sambad Kaumudi.
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Q.10. Write short notes on “The Vernacular Press Act” to show what you know about it. (2010)
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Ans. The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was implemented for stricter control over the vernacular
press and to allow the government to have more authority over publishing. It also helped the
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government to repress seditious writing and hence was nicknamed the Gagging Act. This act
clearly discriminated between the English and vernacular press. According to this Act,
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(i) A District Magistrate could (with prior permission of the local government) ask a
publisher of any vernacular newspaper to enter into a bond, whereby he had to undertake
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not to publish any material which could excite the feeling of disaffection among people
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of different castes, class or religion against the government. The publisher could be asked
in certain circumstances to deposit a certain amount of money as security. If an offence
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was committed then the security could be forfeited or equipment seized.

(ii) No appeal could be made to any court of law.
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(iii) If proofs of the paper were submitted to a government censor, then the newspaper was
exempt from the Act. The Act made the vernacular press submissive. They began to echo
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the ideas of the British Press rather than voice their own views. The Vernacular Press Act
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was repealed in 1872 by Lord Ripon.

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OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS (AS PER CCE PATTERN)

B. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS [1 MARK]
Q.1. The earliest kind of print technology was developed in :
(a) Japan and Korea (b) India, Japan and Korea
(c) China, Japan and Korea (d) India, China and Arabia
Ans. (c)
Q.2. The uses of print diversified in urban China by the 17th century. Which of the following
statements support the above statement?
(a) Print was no longer used by scholar-officials only
(b) Merchants used print in their everyday life and trade information
(c) Reading became a leisure activity
(d) All the above
Ans. (d)
Q.3. When and by whom was handprinting technology brought to Japan?
(a) The Arab travellers to Japan in the 8th century
(b) Buddhist missionaries from China around AD 768-770
(c) Chinese silk merchants in the 6th century
(d) The Egyptians in the 8th century
Ans. (b)
Q.4. Which statement given below is not an explanation of the art form called ‘Ukiyo’?
(a) ‘Ukiyo’ means pictures of the floating world or depiction
(b) Artists first draw the themes on paper, then a skilled wood-carver pastes the drawing on
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a wooden block
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(c) He then carves a printing block to reproduce the painter’s lines
(d) The original drawing is then preserved in the libraries
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Ans. (d)
Q.5. When and how did the Chinese start handprinting?
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(a) From the 6th century onwards, the Chinese printed by rubbing paper
(b) From AD 594 onwards, books in China were printed by rubbing paper against the inked
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surface of wooden blocks

(c) From the 6th century onwards, by printing on this porous sheet
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(d) All the above

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Ans. (b)
Q.6. China was, for a long time, the major producer of printed material, because :
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(a) Civil service examinations were held regularly in China to recruit people to civil services
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(b) Under the sponsorship of the imperial state, textbooks for these examinations were printed
in vast numbers
(c) The number of examination candidates kept on increasing from the 16th century, so did
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the print material

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(d) All the above

Ans. (d)
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Q.7. The term ‘Calligraph’ means :

(a) The art of beautiful printing (b) The art of beautiful and stylised writing
(c) The art of beautiful handprinting (d) The art of printing an ‘accordion book’
Ans. (b)
Q.8. Who was Kitagawa Utamaro and why is he famous?
(a) A famous Japanese artist, famous for his prints
(b) A Japanese artist, famous for his art form ‘Ukiyo’
(c) A Japanese artist who influenced European artists like Manet, Monet and Van Gogh
(d) A Japanese artist born in Edo in 1753, famous for his contribution to an art form called
‘Ukiyo’ which influenced European artists like Manet, Monet and Van Gogh
Ans. (d)

Q.9. The production of manuscripts became possible in Europe because :
(a) The Europeans discovered paper
(b) Just like silk and spices, paper reached Europe via the Arab world
(c) Chinese paper reached Europe in the 11th century via the silk route, like silk and spices
(d) All the above
Ans. (c)
Q.10. The first to use wood-block printing in Europe were :
(a) The French (b) The Spaniards (c) The Italians (d) The Germans
Ans. (b)
Q.11. The term ‘Compositor’ means :
(a) A person who composes poems
(b) A person who composes lyrics and songs for a play
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(c) A person who composes music
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(d) A person who composes the text for printing
Ans. (d)
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Q.12. The term ‘Galley’ refers to ak
(a) A corridor or long passage where family portraits are hung
(b) A metal frame in which types are laid and the text composed
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(c) A long, low built ship with one deck, propelled by oars and sails
(d) A scarecrow
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Ans. (b)
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Q.13. The Print Revolution transformed the lives of people by :

(a) Changing their relationship to information and knowledge; with institutions and
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authorities
(b) By producing cheaper books and producing them at a fast rate
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(c) Influencing popular perceptions and opening new way of looking at things
(d) Both (b) and (c)
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Ans. (d)
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Q.14. Taverns were :

(a) Restaurants, where people could eat, drink and be merry
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(b) Cheap hotels in towns

(c) Places where people gathered to drink alcohol, to be served food, to meet friends and
exchange views
(d) Small buildings in a village for a public meeting
Ans. (c)
Q.15. Protestant Reformation was :
(a) A 16th century movement to reform the Catholic Church dominated by Rome
(b) A challenge to the authority of Rome
(c) A new religion started by Martin Luther
(d) A movement which started anti-Catholic Christianity
Ans. (a)

Q.16. ‘Tremble, therefore, tyrants of the world! Tremble before the virtual writer.’ Whose
words are these and what warning is given through them?
(a) Mercier, a French novelist of 18th century, who believed that printing press is so powerful
that it would sweep despotism away
(b) Louise Sebastien Mercier, a novelist of the 18th century England, who gave this warning
to despots
(c) Mercier, an American novelist of the 18th century, who believed in the power of print and
warned against despotism
(d) A French novelist Mercier (19th century), who believed in the power of print
Ans. (a)
Q.17. Print culture, according to many historians, made people critical and rational because :
(a) Enlightened thinkers argued for the rule of reason rather than custom, judging everything
with reasons
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(b) The thinkers attacked sacred authority of the Church and despotism of the State
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(c) People who read the ideas of Voltaire and Rousseau saw the world through different eyes
(d) All of these
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Ans. (d) ak
Q.18. There was a virtual reading mania in European countries at the end of the 18th century
because :
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(a) People wanted to read books and printers produced them in increasing numbers
(b) Churches set up schools in villages carrying literacy to peasants and artisans
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(c) Literacy rates went up in Europe as 60 to 80 percent

(d) There was a variety in reading material, so reading became popular
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Ans. (b)
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Q.19. New forms of popular literature, targeting new audience at the end of the 18th century,
were :
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(a) Romances, histories, almanacs, ballads and folktales for entertainment

(b) Newspapers and journals combining current affairs (wars and trade) with entertainment
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(c) Ideas of scientists and philosophers included in popular literature

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(d) All the above

Ans. (d)
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Q.20. Which of the following statements does not support the view of some historians that Print
Culture was the basis for the French Revolution?
(a) Print culture led to the spread of ideas of enlightened thinkers and encouraged questioning,
critical reasoning and rule of reason rather than tradition
(b) It led to a public culture of debate, discussion, new ideas of social revolution
(c) Print did not directly shape the people’s minds but opened up the possibility of thinking
differently
(d) It aroused hostility against monarchy, its mentality and mocked it
Ans. (c)
Q.21. Children became an important category of readers in the 19th century, mainly because :
(a) Primary education became compulsory and production of school textbooks became
essential for publishing industry
(b) A children’s press devoted to literature for children was set up in France in 1857
(c) Grimm Brothers in Germany published fairytales for children in 1812
(d) Anything vulgar was not published in children’s books
Ans. (a)
Q.22. The contribution of Grimm Brothers of Germany to children’s literature was :
(a) Publishing stories for them
(b) Spending years on compiling traditional folktales gathered from peasants, editing and
publishing them as a collection in 1812
(c) Having a new shape to rural folktales
(d) All the above
Ans. (b)
Q.23. The role of lending libraries in England in the 19th century was :
n
(a) Promoting reading among the working-class people
ha
(b) Educating white collar workers, artisans and lower middle-class people
(c) Encouraging self-improvement, self-expression and encouraging the working class to
as
write autobiographies
(d) Both (b) and (c) ak
Ans. (d)
Q.24. Printers and publishers developed new strategies to sell their products. Which of the
Pr
following is not an innovation of the 20th century?

(a) Cheap paperback editions were printed
rs
(b) The dust cover or the book jacket was an innovation

he
(c) Important novels were serialised, which led to a new way of writing novels
(d) Popular works were sold in England in cheap series called the shilling series
ot
Ans. (c)
Br
Q.25. Through the 19th century, series of innovations in printing technology were :
(a) Richard M. Hoe of New York perfected power-driven cylindrical press capable of printing
8,000 sheets per hour
al
(b) Six colours at a time could be printed by the offset press

oy
(c) Methods of feeding paper improved, quality of plates became better, automatic paper reels
and photoelectric controls of colour register were introduced
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(d) Both (a) and (b)

Ans. (d)
Q.26. In which year, printing in Hindi began and what was its main concern?
(a) Hindi printing began from the 1870s, a large segment was devoted to women’s education,
widow remarriage and the national movement
(b) Hindi printing began from the 1870s and their main concern was women-related issues
(c) Hindi printing began from 1900 and was devoted to education of women
(d) Printing in Hindi began in the early 20th century and its main concern was religious reform
Ans. (a)
Q.27. By the end of the 19th century, the new culture taking shape in India was :
(a) A visual culture with cheap prints and calendars, so that even the poor could decorate the
walls of their homes with them
(b) Visible images reproduced in multiple copies which shaped popular ideas about
modernity, tradition, religion, politics, society and culture
(c) Painters producing images for mass circulation
(d) Ravi Varma starting a new visual culture
Ans. (b)
Q.28. The Bengal Gazette was :
(a) A weekly magazine, first to be edited by an Indian
(b) A weekly English magazine edited by James Hickey from 1780, described as a commercial
paper open to all, influenced by none
(c) First English magazine brought out by Raja Rammohun Roy
(d) A weekly magazine, edited by James Hickey from 1780 in English
Ans. (b)
n
Q.29. The book, ‘Chote Aur Bade Ka Sawal’ talked about [2010 (T-1)]
ha
(a) the link between caste and class exploitation
(b) the injustices of the caste system
as
(c) restrictions on the vernacular press
(d) ill treatment of widows ak
Ans. (a)
Q.30. Which one among the following is an ancient name of Tokyo? [2010 (T-1)]
Pr
(a) Osaka (b) Nagano (c) Edo (d) Gifu

Ans. (c)
rs
Q.31. Who wrote about the injustices of the caste system in ‘Gulamgiri’? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
he
(a) Raja Rammohan Roy (b) Jyotiba Phule

(c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (d) Bankim Chandra
ot
Ans. (b)
Br
Q.32. Who among following invented the first printing press in Europe? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Macro Polo (b) Kitagawa Utamaro
al
(c) Johann Gutenberg (d) Erasmus

oy
Ans. (c)
Q.33. Which of the following was the first book printed by Gutenberg? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
G
(a) The Diamond Sutra (b) Chapbook (c) Grimms’ fairytales (d) The Bible
Ans. (d)
Q.34. Which of the following is the correct meaning of ‘Biliotheque Bleue’? [2010 (T-1)]
(a) An author (b) Low price small books
(c) Monuments (d) None of these
Ans. (b)
Q.35. The printing press was first introduced in India by which one of the following?
[2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) East India Company officials (b) Indian reformers
(c) Protuguese missionaries (d) Arabic traders
Ans. (c)

Q.36. Which religious reformer was responsible for the Protestant Reformation?
[2010 (T-1)]
(a) Martin Luther (b) George Elliot (c) Maxim Gorky (d) Martin Luther King
Ans. (a)
Q.37. Which of the following is an Enlightened thinker whose writings are said to have created
conditions for a revolution in France? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Louise Sebastian Mercier (b) Rousseau
(c) Mennochio (d) Gutenberg
Ans. (b)
Q.38. Which of the following was a book showing links between caste and class exploitation?
[2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Ghulamgiri (b) Amar Jiban
n
(c) Istri Dharm Vichar (d) Chhote Aur Bade Ka Sawal
ha
Ans. (d)
Q.39. What were low priced small books printed on poor quality paper and bound in cheap
as
blue covers called in France? [2010 (T-1)]
(a) Chapbooks (b) Almanacs (c) Bibliotheque Bleue (d) Ballads
ak
Ans. (c)
Pr
Q.40. Paperback editions of books were introducted during [2010 (T-1)]
(a) the First World War (b) the Second World War
rs
(c) the Russian Revolution (d) the onset of the Great Depression
Ans. (d)
he
Q.41. The circulation of handwritten manuscripts remained limited because :

ot
[2010, 2011 (T-1)]

(a) they were fragile and awkward to handle (b) they could not be carried around
Br
(c) they could not be read easily (d) all the above
Ans. (d)
al
Q.42. In England books carried by petty pedlars and sold for a penny were known as :
oy
[2010 (T-1)]
(a) Shilling series (b) Almanacs (c) Chapbooks (d) Novels
G
Ans. (c)
Q.43. Which of the following books reflects the plight of the ‘lower castes’ and poor in India?
[2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Gulamagiri (b) Chhote Aur Bade Ka Sawal
(c) Sachchi Kavitayen (d) All the abvoe
Ans. (d)
Q.44. The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was modelled on : [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Irish Press Laws (b) American Press Laws
(c) Chinese Press Laws (d) German Press Laws
Ans. (a)
Q.45. Which of the following reading material were especially for women?[2010, 2011 (T-1)]

(a) Chap books (b) Penny magazines
(c) Grimm’s Fairytales (d) The Bible
Ans. (b)
Q.46. “Printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one.” Who spoke these words?
[2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Johann Gutenberg (b) New Comen
(c) Mahatma Gandhi (d) Martin Luther
Ans. (d)
Q.47. Who developed the first printing press in the 1430s? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Marcopolo (b) Johann Gutenberg
(c) James Watt (d) None of the above
Ans. (b)
n
Q.48. Choose the name of the oldest printed book of Japan. [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
ha
(a) Diamond Sutra (b) Bible (c) Ukiyo (d) Koran
Ans. (a)
as
Q.49. In which among the following countries was the earliest kind of print technology
ak
developed? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) India (b) England (c) France (d) China
Pr
Ans. (d)
Q.50. Which of the following statement is true in the light of Vernacular Press Act 1878?
rs
[2010, 2011 (T-1)]

he
(a) It gave freedom to Vernacular press

(b) It gave financial assistance to Vernacular press
ot
(c) It provided rights to government to censor reports and editorials in the Vernacular press
(d) None of the above
Br
Ans. (c)
al
Q.51. Who among following introduced hand printing technology in Japan? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Buddhist Missionaries from India (b) Buddhist Missionaries from Japan
oy
(c) Buddhist Missionaries from China (d) None of the above

Ans. (c)
G
Q.52. Which one of the following statements is true? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) A children press, devoted to literature for children alone, was set up in France in 1757
(b) Penny magazines were especially meant for men
(c) Lending libraries had been in existence from the seventeenth century
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c)
Q.53. When did the printing press first came to Goa with Portuguese missionaries?
[2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Mid-eighteenth century (b) Mid-seventeenth century
(c) Mid-sixteenth century (d) Mid-fifteenth century
Ans. (c)

Q.54. Who started to edit the Bengal Gazette weekly in 1780. [2010 (T-1)]
(a) James Augustus Hickey (b) Richard M Hoe
(c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (d) None of the above
Ans. (a)
Q.55. Who among the following was not a women novelist? [2010 (T-1)]
(a) Jane Austen (b) Bront’e Sisters (c) George Eliot (d) None of the above
Ans. (d)
Q.56. Who among the following did not write about the caste system? [2010 (T-1)]
(a) E. V.. Ramaswamy Naicker (b) Ram Chaddha
(c) B. R. Ambedkar (d) Jyotiba Phule
Ans. (b)
Q.57. Who among the following brought the technology of wood block printing to Europe?
n
[2010 (T-1)]
ha
(a) Johann Gutenberg (b) Marco Polo (c) Richard M Hoe (d) None of the above
Ans. (b)
as
Q.58. Who among the following agreed to revise Press Laws?
ak [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
(a) Lord Cornwallis (b) Lord Dalhousie
(c) Governor General Bentinck (d) None of the above
Pr
Ans. (c)
Q.59. Who wrote her autobiography ‘Amar Jiban’ published in 1876? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
rs
(a) Tara Bai Shinde (b) Rash Sundari Devi

he
(c) Pandita Rama Bai (d) Kailashbashini Devi

Ans. (b)
ot
Q.60. Which one among the following is an autobiography of Rashsundari Devi?

Br
[2011 (T-1)]
(a) Amar Jiban (b) Amar Jyoti (c) Amar Jawan (d) Amar Zindagi
Ans. (a)
al
Q.61. Lending libraries came into existence in the : [2011 (T-1)]

oy
(a) 17th Century (b) 18th Century (c) 19th Century (d) 20th Century
Ans. (c)
G
Q.62. Who among the following perfected the power drivers cylindrical press? [2011 (T-1)]
(a) James Watt (b) Newcomen (c) George Eliot (d) Richard M Hoe
Ans. (d)
Q.63. Who was against the Catholic Church? [2011 (T-1)]
(a) Martin Luther (b) Gutenberg (c) Jaidev (d) John Augustine
Ans. (a)
Q.64. The first weekly paper published in India was [2011 (T-1)]
(a) Bombay Samachar (b) Bengal Gazette
(c) Shamsul Akbar (d) Samachar Chandika
Ans. (b)

Q.65. Who was Martin Luther? [2011 (T-1)]
(a) Religious reformer of Germany (b) Religious reformer of France
(c) Religious reformer of Austria (d) Religious reformer of Holland
Ans. (a)
C. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS [3 MARKS]

Q.1. Why was China a major producer of printed material for a long time?
Ans. China had a huge bureaucratic system. The personnel for this system was chosen on the basis
of a Civil Service Examination. To help the candidates, textbooks for this examination were
printed in enormous numbers. In the 16th century, when more candidates were recruited, more
printed material appeared in public.
Q.2. Who were the people who employed scribes to write in the 14th century ?
n
Ans. As handwritten books were expensive, only the rich, the aristocrats and the Church could
ha
employ scribes. The scribes wrote only for aristocratic circles and rich monastic libraries. With
the coming of the woodblock printing, merchants and traders started buying books in large
as
numbers, with the result that booksellers could afford to hire scribes. One bookseller could
employ 50 scribes due to the new technology in printing. It was no longer the monopoly of
ak
the rich and the influential.
Pr
Q.3. State the limitations of handwritten books. (2010)
OR
rs
Why were Manuscripts not used widely in everyday life before the age of print in India?
Ans. Handwritten books were expensive and took a long time to produce. Copying was expensive
he
and it was hard and laborious work. The manuscripts were very fragile and could easily be
spoilt. They were awkward in size and difficult to carry. The result was that their circulation
ot
was limited. Middle-class people could not afford them.

Br
Q.4. Write a short note on the developments or innovations in the printing technology in the
19th century. (2010)
al
OR
oy
Give three methods by which printed books became more accessible to people.
OR
G
Describeth develop one of printing press after Gutenberg.

Ans. There were a series of innovations in the printing technology in the 19th century.
(i) Richard M. Hoe of New York perfected the power-driven cylindrical press. He could print
8000 sheets per hour. His press was very useful for printing newspapers.
(ii) The late 19th century saw the development of offset press capable of printing six colours
at a time.
(iii) Electrically-operated press in the early 20th century increased the rate of printing
operations.
(iv) Methods of feeding paper improved, quality of plates became better, machines were fed
automatic paper reels and photoelectric controls of colour register were introduced.
Q.5. Write a short note on how printing press came to India. (2010)
Ans. The printing press was brought to India by the Jesuit missionaries. They came to Goa in the
19th century, who learnt Konkani and printed many tracts. But in 1674, about 50 books were
printed in Konkani and Kanarese languages. The Catholic priests published the first book in
Tamil in 1579, at Cochin and in 1713 the first book in Malyalam was printed by them. The
Dutch Protestant missionaries had already printed 72 Tamil books by 1710, most of them
translations of earlier texts. By the end of the 18th century, newspapers began to appear in
various Indian languages.
Q.6. What were the difficulties faced by manuscripts in India?
Ans. The handwritten books were very expensive and very fragile. They were difficult to carry and
had to be handled carefully. They were also not easy to read as the script was written in many
styles. Because of this difficulty they were not widely read. Teachers dictated them from
memory and the students wrote them down. Students learnt not to read the manuscripts but
only wrote them. Though in pre-colonial period Bengal had many village primary schools, the
n
manuscripts were not used in everyday life. Thus, students became literate without ever
ha
actually reading the texts.
Q.7. Explain the terms Ulema and Fatwas.
as
Ans. (i) Ulema were scholars of Islam and the Sharia (a body of Islamic laws). Ulema were learned
men and the term became associated with experts on religious affairs.
ak
(ii) Fatwa : It was a religious edict issued by a competent religious authority, called the Mufti,
to clarify a point about Islam, or to tell the Muslims what to do in a specific situation.
Pr
Q.8. Who were the supporters of women’s education in India and why?
Ans. The print culture affected the lives of women. Not only women readers but also many women
rs
writers came forward to write about women’s experiences. They were supported by liberal
he
fathers and husbands who started educating their womenfolk at home. Some even sent them
to schools. Many schools for women were set up by social workers and rich people in town
ot
and cities. Many reformers also supported education among women.

Br
Q.9. Who were the dissenters? Why did they object to women being educated?
Ans. There were dissenters among Hindus as well as Muslims. Hindus had the superstitious belief
that women would be widowed if they were educated. Muslims believed that a woman would
al
be corrupted by reading Urdu romances.

oy
Q.10. What was the role of cartoons and caricatures in new forms of publications? (2010)
Ans. By the 1870s cartoons and caricatures appeared in many journals and newspapers. They
G
commented on social and political issues. By making fun of certain beliefs, they aroused the
public and made them think about certain rules of society and the role of imperial rulers. Some
caricatures made fun of the educated Indian’s fascination for everything western in tastes,
clothes etc. Some, on the other hand, expressed fear of change of any kind. In the field of
politics they lampooned the behaviour and attitude of imperial rulers. The imperial rulers
returned the compliment by making fun of and caricaturing the nationalists.
PREVIOUS YEARS’ QUESTIONS

Q.11. Explain how print culture had assisted the growth of nationalism in India in the 19th
century. [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
Ans. (i) Print culture led to publication of most papers in Vernacular languages. Many more

journals were published after 1870.
(ii) These journals and newspapers published cartoons and caricatures criticising imperial rule
and commented on social and political issues. The vernacular newspapers like Tilak’s
Kesari and Maratha became assertively nationalist and reported on colonial misrule and
encouraged nationalism.
(iii) The repressive measures passed by the British government provoked militant protest. Tilak
was imprisoned for writing about them in his Kesari, in 1908. It led to widespread
protests. Print helped the leaders to carry their ideas to people across India, brought them
closer and helped the growth of nationalism.
Q.12. How did print culture affect women in the 19th century India? Explain. (2010)
Ans. Women became important as readers as well as writers. Lives and feelings of women began
to be written in vivid and intense ways. The number of women readers increased enormously
n
in middle-class homes. Liberal fathers and husbands began educating their womenfolk at home
ha
and sent them to schools when schools for women were set up in cities and towns. Many
journals carried a syllabus and attached suitable reading matter which could be used at home.
as
From the 1860s, a few Bengali women like Kailashbashini Debi wrote books highlighting the
experience of women – how they were imprisoned, kept in ignorance and forced to do hard
ak
domestic work and treated unjustly. Tarabai Shinde and Pandita Ramabai of Maharashtra in 1880,
wrote with anger about the miserable lives of upper-caste Hindu women – specially widows.
Pr
In Central Calcutta, an entire area called Battala was devoted to printing popular books,
profusely illustrated. They were carried by pedlars to homes enabling women to read them
rs
in their leisure time.

he
But everyone was not so liberal. Hindus (conservative) believed that a literate girl would
become a widow. Muslims believed that an educated woman would be corrupted by reading.
ot
Some women had to learn to read and write in secret, like Rashsundari Debi of East Bengal.
She learnt to read secretly in her kitchen and later wrote her autobiography Amar Jiban in 1876.
Br
Q.13. “The print culture created the conditions within which the French Revolution occurred.”
Support the statement giving three arguments. [2009, 2010, 2011 (T-1)]
al
Ans. (i) Print popularised the ideas of enlightened thinkers, the writings of Voltaire and Rousseau
oy
were read widely. They made a critical commentary on tradition, superstition and
despotism. It opened the eyes of the readers, made them question, be critical and rational.
G
(ii) Print created a new culture of dialogue and debate. All values, norms and institutions were
revalued and discussed by a public that had become aware of the power of reason. New
ideas of social revolution came into being.
(iii) By the 1780s, there was an outpouring of literature, that mocked royalty and criticised
their morality. In the process, it raised questions about the existing social order. It led to
hostile sentiments against the monarchy. Thus, the print culture created the conditions in
which the French Revolution occurred.
Q.14. Explain any three features of handwritten manuscripts before the age of print in India.
(2010)
OR
Describe the salient features of Indian manuscripts before the age of print. [2011 (T-1)]
Ans. (i) India had a very rich and old tradition of handwritten manuscripts in Sanskrit, Arabic,
Persian as well as many vernacular languages.
(ii) Manuscripts were copied on palm leaves or hand-made paper. Pages were sometimes
beautifully illustrated. They would be pressed between wooden covers or sewn together
for preservation. Manuscripts continued to be produced till the late 19th century inspite
of the introduction of print.
(iii) Manuscripts were highly expensive, fragile, could not be read easily as script was written
in different styles. They were, thus not widely used in everyday life.
Q.15. Explain the main features of the first printed Bible. [2010 (T-1)]
Ans. Main features of the first printed Bible were :
(i) About 180 copies of the Bible were printed and it took three years to produce them.
(ii) The text was printed in the New Gutenberg press with metal type, but the borders were
carefully designed, painted and illuminated by hand by artists.
n
(iii) No two copies were the same. Every page of each copy was different. This made everyone
ha
posses a copy which they could claim was unique.
(iv) Colour was used within the letters in various places. This had two functions it added colour
as
to the page and highlighted all the holy words to emphasise their significance colour on
every page was added by hand. ak
(v) Gutenberg printed the text in black leaving spaces where the colour could be filled later.
Pr
Q.16. Examine the role of missionaries in the growth of press in India? [2010 (T-1)]
Ans. The printing press first came to India with Portuguese missionaries to Goa in the mid-sixteenth
rs
century.
Jesuit priests learnt Konkani and printed several tracts. By 1674, about 50 books had been
he
printed in Konkani and Kanara languages. Catholic priests published the first Tamil book
in 1579 at Cochin and in 1713, the first Malayam book was published by them. By 1710,
ot
Dutch Protestant missionaries had published 32 Tamil Texts, many of them translation of
Br
olderr works.
Q.17. What role was played by the print culture in bringing the French Revolution?
al
[2010, 2011 (T-1)]

OR
oy
Many Historians argued that print culture created conditions within which French
G
revolution occurred. Explain with three arguments.

Ans. Role of print culture in French Revolution
(i) Print popularised the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers. Collectively, their writing provided a
critical commentary on tradition, superstition and disposition. They argued for the rule of
reason than custom.
(ii) They attacked the sacred authority of the Church and despotic power of the state. This
eroded the authority of a social order based on tradition. The writings of Voltaire and
Rousseau made readers see the world through new eyes, eyes that questioned and were
rational and critical.
(iii) Secondly, print created a new culture of dialogue and debate. Now all values, norms and
institutions were re-evaluated and discussed by the public, now aware of their power to
question existing beliefs and ideas. It led to new ideas of social revolution.

Thirdly, by the 1780s there was an output of literature that mocked reoyalty and questioned
their morality. Cartoons and caricatures presented monarchy interested only in their own
pleasures, while the ordinary people suffered immense hardships. Literature spread hostile
sentiments against the monarchy, though it was circulated underground.
But we must remember that to combat the above ideas was the influence of the Church. If
people read Voltaire and Rousseau, they were also exposed to monarchical and Church
propoganda. So print did not directly shape their minds, but it made it possible for people
to think differently.
Q.18. How did the ideas of scientists and philosophers become more accessible to common
people after the beginning of print revolution in Europe? [2010 (T-1)]
Ans. Ideas of scientists and philosophers on printing of books, became accessible to common people.
Ancient and medieval scientific texts were compiled and published, maps and scientific
n
diagrams were widely printed. Ideas of Issac Newton were published and they could influence
ha
a much wider circle. The writings of thinkers like Thomas Pasore, Voltaire and Rousseau were
printed and read by a vast majority. Their ideas also were found in the literature of the time.
as
Q.19. How did the printing press bring forth changes in reading culture? [2010 (T-1)]
OR
ak
What was the impact of Print Revolution? [2011 (T-1)]
Pr
OR
How did printing press create a new reading public? Explain. [2011 (T-1)]
rs
Ans. With the printing press, a new reading public emerged.

(i) Printing reduced the cost of books.
he
(ii) The time and labour to produce each book came down. Multiple copies could be produced
ot
easily.
(iii) Books flooded the market, reaching out to an ever growing readership.
Br
(iv) It created a new culture of reading.

(v) Common people could not read books earlier, only the elite could. Common people heard
al
a story or saw a performance collectively.

oy
(vi) Instead of a hearing public now there was a reading public.

(vii) The rate of literacy in European countries was also low till the 20th century. Publishers
G
reached out to people by making them listen to books being read out.
(vii) Printers published popular ballads and folktales, profusely illustrated. These were then
sung and recited at village gatherings in taverns in towns. Oral culture thus entered print
and printed material was orally transmitted, Hearing and reading public, thus became one.
Q.20. Why were the printed books popular even among illiterate people? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
Ans. (i) First, very cheap small books brought to markets in 19th century towns allowed poor
people travelling, to buy them. Public libraries set up in early 20th century expanded the
access to books.
(ii) From the late 19th century, many social reformers like Iyoliba Phule (a Maratha reform
pioneer) wrote about injustices of the caste system in their books (Gulamgiri, 1871). In
20th century B.R. Ambedkar and E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker wrote powerfully on caste
and their books were read by people all over India.
Workers in factories were too overworked and lacked education to write much about their
experiences. A Kanpur mill worker wrote and published Chhote aur Bade ka Sawal in 1938
to show links between 1935-1955 were published as “Sacchi Kavitayen”. Libraries were set
up in Bangalore cotton mills and in Bombay. It was done to bring literacy and to propagate
the message of nationalism.
The printed books made the poor crazy about reading.
Q.21. Describe the progress of Print in Japan. [2010 (T-1)]
Ans. Buddhist Missionaries from China introduced hand-printing technology into Japan around AD
768-770. The oldest Japanese book, printed in AD 868, is the Buddhist Diamond Sutra,
containing six sheets of text and woodcut illustrations. Pictures were printed on textiles,
playing cards and paper money. In medieval Japan, poets and prose writers were regularly
published, books were cheap and in plenty.
n
In the late 18th century, flourishing urban circles at Edo (modern Tokyo) published illustrated
ha
collections printings artists, courts and book stores were packed with hand-printed material of
various types – books on women, musical instruments, calculations, tea ceremony flower
as
arrangements, proper etiquette cooking and famous places.
Famous examples : Kitagawa Utamoro’s contribution to art form called Ukiyo (pictures of the
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floating world).
Q.22. What is a manuscript? Give four shortcomings of manuscripts. [2010 (T-1)]
Pr
Ans. A manuscript are hand written books written on palm leaves or on hand made paper. Pages
were sometimes beautifully illustrated. They would be either pressed between wooden covers
rs
or sewn together to ensure preservation.

he
The four drawbacks were :

(i) They were highly expensive and fragile.
ot
(ii) They had to be handled carefully.

(iii) They could not read easily as the script was written in different styles.
Br
(iv) So they were not widely used.

Students very often did not read the texts. They only learnt to write. Teachers dictated portions
al
from memory and students wrote them down. Many became literate without ever actually
oy
reading any kind of texts.

Q.23. What was the attitude of people in India in the nineteenth century towards women
G
reading? How did women respond to this? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]

Ans. There was not a universal favourable attitude conservative Hindus believed that a literate girl
would be widowed and Muslims feared educated women would be corrupted by reading Urdu
romances. Rebel women defied such prohibition. A Muslim girl in north India defied her
family and secretly learnt to read and write Urdu. Rashsundari Debi, a young married girl in
a very orthodox family, learnt to read in the secrecy of her kitchen. Later she published her
autobiography in Bengali language.
A few Bengali women like Kailash Bashini Debi wrote books highlighting the experiences of
women. In the 1860s, Tarabai Shinde and Pandita Ramabai of Maharashtra wrote about the
miserable lives of upper caste women. Women writing in Tamil expressed their gratitute to
books. The attitude in general was to keep women imprismed at home, ignorant, forced to do
hard domestic work and subject to unfair treatment.

In Punjab, folk literature exorted women to be obedient wives (Ram Chaddha’s Istri Dharm
Vichar.) The Khalsa Tract Society published cheap booklets with the same message. In Bengal,
– an entire are in Central Calcutta – the Battala – was devoted to printing popular books. They
were cheap editions of religions texts, scriptures as well as scandalous literature.
Women’s education was not encouraged by the majority as Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain
reported in her address to Bengal Women’s Educated Conference.
Q.24. Explain the role played by print in bringing about a division in the Roman Catholic
Church. [2010 (T-1)]
Ans. In 1517, a religious reformer, Martin Luther, wrote 95 theses criticising many practices and
rituals of the Roman Catholic Church.
A printed copy of this was posted on a Church door in Wittenberg. It challenged the Church
to debate his ideas. Luther’s writing were reproduced in vast members and read widely. This
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led to a division within the Church and to the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
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Luther’s translation of the Bible sold 5,000 copies in the first week and soon the second edition
began. The print of his theses, according to scholars, brought about a new intellectual
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atmosphere and spread rapidly the ideas of Reformation.
Q.25. Give three ways in which early printed books closely resembled manuscripts.
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[2010 (T-1)]
Ans.(i) The metal letters imitated the ornamental handwritten styles.
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(ii) Borders were illuminated by hand with foliage and other patterns.
(iii) Illustrations were printed. In the books meant for the rich, space for decoration was kept
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blank on the printed page. Each purchaser could choose the design and decide on the
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painting school that would do the illustrations.

Q.26. How did print help connect communities and people in different parts of India? Explain
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with examples. [2010 (T-1)]

Ans. Print connected communities and people in different parts of India through newspapers, by
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encouraging public debates on important issues. New ideas emerged in Sambad Kaumadi
published by Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s from 1821, which provoked debate on widow
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immolation, Brahmanical priesthood, idolatary, by printing ideas in every language spoken by

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ordinary people. In retalitation, Hindu orthrodoxy started Samachar Chandrika to oppose his
opinions.
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In north India, ulamas fearing colonial rulers will change Muslim personal laws, published
Persian and Urdu translations of holy scriptures and printed religious newspapers and tracts.
The Deoband Seminary published thousands of fatwas telling Muslim readers how to conduct
themsleves in their everyday life and explaning Islamic doctrines.
Hindus also published religious texts in Vernacular languages. Ramcharit Manas of Tulsidas
came out in Calcutta in 1810. Naval Kishore Press at Lucknow and Shri Venkateshwar Press
in Bombay published numerous religious texts in Vernacular languages.
The religious texts reached a very wide circle of people encouraging discussions, debates and
controversies within and among different religions.
Newspapers conveyed news from one place to another, creating pan-Indian identities.
Thus, print not only stimulated publication of conflicting opinions, it also connected
communities and people in different parts of India.
Q.27. ‘Liberty of speech.. liberty of the press... freedom of association. The Government of
India is now seeking to crush the three powerful vehicles of expressing and cultivating
public opinion. The fight for Swaraj, for Khailafat... means a fight for this threatened
freedom before all else..’ [2010 (T-1)]
(i) Who made the above statement?
(ii) Why was the Government trying to crush the three vehicles of expression?
Ans. (i) Gandhi made the above statement in 1922.
(ii) Government was trying to repress the national movement in India. They did not want
colonial misrule to be reported and wanted to throttle nationalist criticism. They resorted
to persecution (Tilak imprisoned in 1908, Punjab revolutionaries disported in 1907), to
suppress widespread protests in India by passing Acts like the Vernacular Press Act in
1878.
Q.28. Why did the new technology not entirely displace the existing art of producing books by
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hand? [2010 (T-1)]
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Ans. First, the printed books closely resembled the written manuscripts in appearance and layout.
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Second, the metal letters imitated the ornamental hand styles.
Third, borders in printed books were illuminated by hand with foliage and other patterns and
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illustration were painted. In the books for the rich, space for decoration was kept blank on the
printed page. After each purchaser had chosen the design then the painting school would do
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the illustrators so new technology did not entirely displace the existing art of producing books
by hand.
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Q.29. By the end of the 19th century a new visual culture was taking shape. Explain.
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[2010, 2011 (T-1)]

Ans. The setting up of increasing number of printing posses made it easy to reproduce visual images
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in multiple copies painters like Raja Ram Varma produced images for mass circulation. Cheap
prints and calendars could be bought by the poor to decorate the walls of their homes or places
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of work. The prints began shaping popular ideas about modernity and tradition, religion and
politics, society and culture.
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In the 1870s, caricatures and cartoons were published in journals and newspapers. Imperial
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cartoons lampooned nationalists and nationalist cartoons criticised imperial rule.

Q.30. How did ideas about science, reason and rationality find their way into popular literature
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in the 18th century Europe? [2010 (T-1)]

OR
Explain the significance of newspapers, and journals developed in the early 18th century.
Ans. In the 18th century the periodical press combined information about current affairs with
entertainment. Newspapers and journals carried information about wars and trade as well as
the news of development in other places.
Similarly, ideas of philosophers now became accessible to common people. Ancient and
medieval scientific texts were compiled and published, maps and scientific diagrams were
widely printed. When scientists like Issac Newton began to publish their discoveries, they
could influence a much wider circle of scientifically minded readers. The writings of thinkers
such as Thomas Paime, Voltaire and Rousseau were also widely printed and read. Thus their
ideas of about science, reason and rationality found their way into popular literature.
Q.31. How did the uses of print diversify in China by the 17th century? Explain. [2010 (T-1)]
Ans. By 17th century, urban culture bloomed in China and use of print diversified.
(i) Print was no longer used just by scholars and officials.
(ii) Merchants used print in their everyday life, as they collected trade information.
(iii) Reading increasingly became a leisure activity. New readers preferred narratives, poetry,
autobiographies, authologies of literary masterpieces and romantic plays.
Rich women began to read, many women began publishing their poetry and plays. Lives of
scholar officials published their works and courtesans wrote about their lives.
Q.32. Write the name of any two women writers of India in 19th century and highlight the
contribution of any one who wrote about the different experiences of the women.
[2010 (T-1)]
Ans. The two women writers of India in the 19th century were :
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(i) Kailashbashini Devi (ii) Tarabai Shinde.
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(i) Kailashbashini Devi was a Bengali who wrote books from 1860s, highlighting the
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experiences of women. She write about how women were imprisoned at home, kept in
ingnorance, forced to do hard domestic work and treated unjustify by the new people served.
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Q.33. How did print come to Europe from China? Explain. [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
Ans. In 1295, Marco Polo a great explorery returned to Italy after years of exploration in China.
Pr
Marco Polo brought the knowledge of woodbook printing from China and soon Italians began
producing books with woodblocks. The technology spread rapidly to the rest of Europe.
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Merchants and students in the university started buying cheaper printed copies.
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Q.34. State any three points of importance of penny chapbooks. [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
Ans. Importance of chapbooks
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(i) Meant largely for entertainment. Chapbooks began to reach a large number of people.
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(ii) Penny chapbooks in England were carried by petty pedlars called chapmen and sold for a
penny, so that even the poor could buy them.
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(iii) They were of various sizes, serving many different purposes and interests.
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Q.35. How did the publishers persuade the common people to welcome the printed books in
Europe? [2010 (T-1)]
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Ans. The publishers persuaded the common people to welcome printed books in Europe by :
(i) Trying to reach those who did not read but could certainly enjoy listening to books being
read out.
(ii) Publishing popular ballads and folktales and such books were profusely illustrated with
pictures. These were sung and recited at gatherings in villages and in taverns in towns.
(iii) They blurred the line that separated the oral and reading cultures. Hearing and reading
public became intermingled.
Q.36. Explain any three factors responsible for the invention of ‘New Printing Technology’.
[2010 (T-1)]
Ans. Three factors responsible for the invention of “New Printing Technology” are :
(i) There was need for quicker and cheaper reproduction of texts.
(ii) Production of hand written manuscripts could not satisfy the ever increasing demand for
books.
(iii) Manuscripts were fragile, awl wand to handle and could not be carried around easily.
All these demanded a “new print technology” and the break through came, when gotann
Gutenberg of Germany developed the first-known printing press in the 1430s.
Q.37. How did the Indians copy and preserve their manuscripts? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]
Ans. Indian copies their manuscripts on palm leaves or on hand made paper.
They would be either possed between wooden covers or sewn together to ensure preservation.
Q.38. How was the increased demand for books fulfilled by the booksellers? Mention any 3
points. [2011 (T-1)]
Ans. Booksellers met the increased demand of books by :
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(i) Exporting books to different countries.
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(ii) By holding book fairs at different places.
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(iii) Scribes or skilled handwriters were now no longer solely employed by wealthy or influential
patrons but by booksellers also. Morethan 50 scribes worked for one book-seller.
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(iv) New methods of producing hand written books were invented to meet public demand.
Pr
Q.39. What restrictions were imposed by the Vernacular Press Act on the Indian Press?
Explain. [2011 (T-1)]
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Ans. In 1878, the Vernacular Press Act was passed. It provided the government with intensive rights
to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular press. The government kept regular track of
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the vernacular newspapers published in different provinces. When a report was judged as
seditious the newspaper was warned, and if the warning was ignored, the press was liable to
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be seized and the printing machinery confiscated.

Br
Q.40. How did print introduce debate and discussion? Explain any three points. [2011 (T-1)]
Ans. Print created the possibility of wide circulation of ideas and introduced a new world of debate
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and discussion. Even those who disagreed with established authorities could now print and
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circulate their ideas. Through the printed message, they could pursuade people to think
differently, and move them to action. For instance, Martin Luther wrote 95 theses criticising
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many of the practices and rituals of the Roman Catholic Church. This led to the Protestant
Reformation.
Q.41. What was the impact of print culture on the poor people of India during the 19th
century? Explain. [2011 (T-1)]
Ans. Very cheap small books were brought to markets in 19th century Madras towns and sold at
crossroads, allowing poor people to buy them. Issues of caste discrimination began to be
written and discussed. Kashibaba, a Kanpur mill worker wrote on caste and class exploitation.
Bangalore cotton mill workers set up libraries to educate themselves. Local social workers
used books and journals to eradicate superstition and social evils. This was also used to
propagate message of nationalism.

D. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS [4 MARKS]
Q.1. How was printing culture influenced by the spread of cities and urban culture in China?
Ans. With the spread of urban culture, the uses of print became diversified. Now only officials did
not need print. Print was used in trade to help the merchants to collect trade information.
People started reading a lot in their leisure time. The new readership now preferred reading
novels, poetry, autobiographies, romantic plays and anthologies of literary masterpieces.
Women became involved not only in reading but also in writing. They started writing poetry,
plays, autobiographies. Rich women read a lot and their work was published also. Wives of
scholar-officials published their works and so did the courtesans who wrote autobiographies.
Q.2. Mention some new interesting practices used in Japan.
Ans. The urban culture affected Japan also in the late 18th century. It flourished in Edo (later known
as Tokyo) and it depicted the elegant culture. It had an interesting collection of paintings
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depicting lives of artists, courtesans and teahouse gatherings. Women, musical instruments,
calculations, tea ceremony, flower arrangements, proper social behaviour (etiquette), cooking
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and famous people were the subjects of print material. Libraries and book stores were packed
with hand-printed materials of various kinds. ak
Q.3. What did the spread of print culture in the 19th century do to : (a) children (b) women
and (c) workers in Europe?
Pr
Ans. (a) As primary education became compulsory in late 19th century, children became an
important category of readers. Therefore,
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l Production of textbooks became important for publishing industry.

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l A children’s press, for producing only children’s books, was set up in France in 1857.
The press published fairytales and folktales. Grimm Brothers of Germany collected
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l
many stories from villages and edited them, before publishing them in 1812. Anything
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unsuitable for children was not published.

(b) Women became not only important readers but writers also. Special magazines were
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printed for women which catered to their tastes. Penny magazines of England taught
etiquette and house-keeping. Women became voracious readers of novels when they
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appeared and some of the best novelists of this period were women — Jane Austen, the
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Bronte sisters and George Eliot. They portrayed a different woman — strong, independent,
determined, and able to think.
(c) The white collar workers of England became members of lending libraries and read a lot.
Workers, artisans and lower middle-class people educated themselves with the help of
these libraries. In the mid-19th century, the working day was shortened and workers had
more time for self-improvement. They not only read but started writing also — mostly
political pamphlets and autobiographies.
Q.4. Why did the Ulema oppose English culture? What step did they take to counter
the impact?
Ans. The Muslim dynasties had collapsed in India by the end of the 19th century. The Ulema were
scared of the impact of colonial culture on Muslims. They were afraid that the British would
change Muslim Personal Law and encourage conversion from Islam to Christianity. To counter

this, they used cheap lithographic presses, to publish Persian and Urdu translation of the holy
scriptures. They printed religious newspapers and tracts. The Deoband Seminary was founded
in 1867 to safeguard the interests of the Muslims. They published thousands and thousands of
fatwas for the Muslims. These fatwas directed the Muslims to conduct their life according to
the strict Muslim laws. In the 19th century, many Muslim sects appeared for the cause of
Muslim religion. Urdu printing also helped them to fight against English influence. Urdu print
helped them to fight these battles in public.
Q.5. How did Hindu religious texts benefit from printing?
Ans. Printing brought a remarkable change in the religious texts of the Hindus. In 1810, the first
printed edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas (a 16th century text) came out from Calcutta.
Cheap lithographic editions flooded the North Indian markets by mid-nineteenth century. The
Naval Kishore Press of Lucknow and Shri Venkateshwara Press in Bombay published
numerous religious books in vernacular. Printed and portable forms of such books helped the
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religious people to read them anywhere any time. Women benefitted the most as religious text
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reached a very wide circle of people. Discussions, debates and controversies within and among
different religious sects also started.
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Q.6. Give a short sketch of Johann Gutenberg. ak
Ans. Johann Gutenberg was born in the town of Strassburg in Germany. He was the son of a
merchant and brought up in a large agricultural estate. As an adolescent, he learnt how to
Pr
polish precious stones, and became a skilled goldsmith as he grew up. He also became an
expert at making lead moulds which ultimately led to his invention of the printing press. He
used the lead moulds to cast the letters of the alphabets into metal types. His invention of the
rs
printing press brought about a revolution in the spread of books and book reading all over
he
Europe. The first book he printed was the Bible and it took three years to print 180 copies.
His invention brought about a revolution in print culture as there was a shift from hand printing
ot
to mechanical printing.
Br
Q.7. Discuss the growth of printing presses in Europe from the 15th to the 16th century.
Ans. In 100 years (1450-1550), the print culture had spread from Germany to all over Europe.
Printers from Germany travelled all over Europe looking for jobs. They set up presses in most
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European countries. By 1470, Rome, France and Holland had printing presses. In the second
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half of the 15th century, 20 million books were printed. By the end of the 16th century, there
were 200 million printed copies flooding Europe.
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PREVIOUS YEARS’ QUESTIONS

Q.8. Describe three shortcomings of manuscripts that were overcome by the printing press.
(2010)
Ans. (i) Copying manuscripts by expert handwriters was very time-consuming and cumbersome.
The printing press took much less time to produce many copies of books.
(ii) Copying manuscripts was an expensive affair which only the aristocrats could afford.
Printing press reduced the cost of books significantly and made them available to
common people.
(iii) Carrying handwritten books was cumbersome and involved the risk of getting spoiled or
damaged. Printed books could be easily handled, carried and circulated.

Q.9. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below it. [Delhi 2008]
'Dear children, don't read these novels, don't even touch them. Your life will be ruined. You
will suffer disease and ailments. Why did the good Lord make you – to wither away at a tender
age? To suffer in disease? To be despised by your brothers, relatives and those around you?
No. No. You must become mothers; you must lead happy lives; this is the divine purpose. You,
who were born to fulfil this sublime goal, should you ruin your life by going crazy after
despicable novels?’
Q.10.(i) Mention the source of the above given paragraph.
Ans. The source is a Tamil essay, written in 1927 by Thiru. Vi. Ka and translated by A.R.
Venkatachalapathy.
(ii) Analyse the message given by the writer to children.
Ans. The message is that children should avoid the novels like the plague. The writer warns that
even touching the novels would lead to diseases and ailments, and their lives would be ruined.
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The message is for the girls, whose role as mothers in society would be jeopardised. They
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would be despised by their near and dear ones, their happiness would be destroyed and their
role, assigned to them by divine powers, would suffer. Novels are despicable and will drive
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the girl readers crazy. ak
Q.11. How did the oral culture enter print and how was the printed material transmitted
orally? Explain with suitable examples. [Outside India 2008]
Pr
Ans. Before print culture came, common people lived in the world of oral culture. They heard sacred
texts read out, ballads recited and folktales narrated. Knowledge was transferred orally, people
rs
collectively heard a story or saw a performance.

As books could be read only by the literate, the printers began publishing popular ballads and
he
folk tales, and small books would be profusely illustrated with pictures. They were then sung
and recited at gatherings in the villages and in taverns in towns. Those who could not read,
ot
enjoyed listening to books being read out. Oral culture thus entered print and printed material
Br
was orally transmitted. The hearing public and the reading public became intermingled.
Q.12. How were ideas and information written before the age of print in India? How did the
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printing technique begin in India. [2008]

oy
Ans. In the ancient period, India had a very rich and old tradition of handwritten manuscripts in
Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and other regional languages. Manuscripts were copied on palm
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leaves or on handmade paper. Pages were beautifully illustrated. Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda was
written on a palm leaf in accordian format. Some works had beautiful calligraphy like the 14th
century poet Hafiz’s work known as the Diwan. These manuscripts were preserved by sewing
them together or pressing between wooden covers. They had to be handled carefully and they
were highly expensive and fragile. Even in schools, students became literate without reading
any kinds of texts as scripts were written in different styles and not easy to read. Teachers
dictated portions and students wrote them down.
The printing press first came to Goa with Portuguese missionaries in the mid-16th century.
They printed several tracts in Konkani. In 1674, 50 books had been printed in Konkani. The
first Tamil book was printed in 1579 at Cochin, first Malayalam book appeared in 1713. By
1710, Dutch missionaries had printed 32 Tamil Texts. English printing was started by James
Hickey from 1780. He began to edit Bengal Gazette, a weekly magazine. So it was private
English enterprise that began English printing in India. By the close of the 18th century, a
number of journals appeared, Indians too began publishing. Gangadhar Bhattacharya, who was
close to Raja Rammohun Roy, brought out the Bengal Gazette.
Q.13. “Print did not only stimulate the publications of conflicting opinions among different
communities but also connected them in the 19th century in India.” Support the
statement with examples. [2009]
Ans. In the 19th century, there were intense debates around religious issues. Different groups had
different opinions about changes taking place in colonial society. Some criticised existing
practices and championed the cause of reforms, while others opposed reforms vehemently.
Print not only spread the new ideas, but along with newspapers, it shaped the nature of debate.
This was a time of controversies between social and religious reformers and Hindu Orthodoxy
over matters like widow immolation (Sati), monotheism, Brahmanical priesthood and idolatry.
The ideas were printed everyday in spoken language of ordinary people. Rammohun Roy
published Sambad Kaumudi from 1821 and the Hindu Orthodoxy commissioned the Samachar
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Chandrika to oppose his opinions. From 1822, two Persian newspapers were published —
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Jam-i-Jahannuma and Shamsul Akhbar. In the same year, a Gujarati newspaper, the Bombay
Samachar, was published.
as
In north India, the Ulema were deeply worried about the collapse of Muslim dynasties, and the
ak
colonial rulers changing the Muslim Personal Law. The Deoband Seminary, founded in 1867,
published thousands of fatwas telling Muslim readers how to conduct themselves in their
Pr
everyday life, and explaining the meanings of Islamic doctrines.
Among Hindus, print helped in reading of religious texts. The first printed edition of
rs
Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas, a 16th century text, came out from Calcutta in 1810. From
the 1880s the Nawal Kishore Press at Lucknow and Shri Venkateshwar Press of Bombay
he
published numerous religious texts in vernaculars. Not only they could be read easily by
faithful at any place and time, but they could also be read to a large audience of illiterate
ot
people. Religious texts reached a very wide circle of people, encouraging discussions,
Br
debates and controversies within and among different religions.
II. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

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A. PROJECT
Project 1
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Topic : Print Revolution, changes and impact from the 16th century till the 19th
century
Objectives : To create awareness of how the Print Revolution developed a new way of
writing books, transformed the lives of the people and influenced their ideas
and perceptions
Skills Developed : Critical and creative thinking, lnderstanding problems, learning
communication skills and enhancing knowledge, understanding the role of
history in any kind of revolution
Time required : 4 days
Method : Gathering information
Selecting
Reading journals
Comments, histories
Sifting information
Planning, decision-making
Interviewing people involved in printing
Discussing importance and consequences
Final impact on the lives of people
Project 2
Topic : The role of print culture in the development of nationalism in India.
Objectives : To create awareness of how the growth of print culture made Indians proud
of their nation, developed nationalism and united them against a common
enemy – British Raj.
Skills developed : Analytical thinking, Creative thinking, Empathy, Communication skills,
Decision-making
Time required : 4 days
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Methods : Role of poets, novelists
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Role of newspapers
Leaders’ actions and speeches
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Paintings, Cartoons, Posters, Advertisements,
Caricatures
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Reactions of the British Government
Use of print, speeches, given in the text book
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B. ASSIGNMENTS
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1. Imagine you are an Indian journalist who travelled through Europe in the 16th century. You were
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amazed to see the printing presses and a printer’s workshop in Germany. Write a report for your
paper giving details of this new technology.
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2. You are a 16th century religious leader of a Europeon country. Give a speech in your church
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warning your audience about the evils of the new Print Revolution.
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3. Look at the various pictures given below. What do they tell you about the world before the Print
Revolution? Let each of you write your ideas, have a class discussion and then choose a leader
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to read out the conditions in class.
l Identify the pictures.
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l State their significance.
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C. ACTIVITIES
1. Divide the class into two groups. Group A collects information about women and print in India.
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Group B collects information about print and the poor people.

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Both groups prepare charts for displaying them in class.

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2. Imagine you are Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossein, a noted educationist of the early 20th
century. Write a spirited speech (for Bengal’s Women’s Education Conference) on “Women and
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Print”. Express your views on women’s education, women writers, role of families in the
progress of women education and society.
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3. Write a short note on :

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How print culture brought about religious reforms in India and led to censorship by the British.
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D. DEBATE
Have a class debate on the topic “The power of the printed word in the modern world cannot
be challenged.”

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7 PRINT CULTURE AND THE MODERN WORLD

instruments, tea ceremony. etc.

From Japan, this art travelled to Europe and the USA.

SECTION B — PRINT COMES TO EUROPE

l Catholic Church began inquisition to repress heretical ideas.

l They began to maintain an Index of Prohibited Books from 1558.

l This led to the reading mania. People wanted more books.

Persian as well as vernacular languages.

associate Gangadhar Bhattacharya.

l Traditional practices criticised, new ideas emerged.

New Wave Social Science–X (Term 1)

SECTION E — NEW FORMS OF PUBLICATION

She later wrote her autobiography, Amar Jiban in 1876.

Women Writers from 1860 onwards were :

of upper-caste Hindu women, specially widows, with great anger.

SECTION F — PRINT AND CENSORSHIP

A. NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

of the press, and freedom of association? (2010)

Q.5. Write a short note on the Vernacular Press Act. (2010)

enlightenment and end despotism? (2010)

became better, more knowledgeable by reading books. Mercier proclaimed : “Tremble,

was committed then the security could be forfeited or equipment seized.

was repealed in 1872 by Lord Ripon.

OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS (AS PER CCE PATTERN)

surface of wooden blocks

(d) All the above

the print material

(d) All the above

Q.7. The term ‘Calligraph’ means :

New Wave Social Science–X (Term 1)

Q.13. The Print Revolution transformed the lives of people by :

Q.14. Taverns were :

(b) Cheap hotels in towns

Print Culture and the Modern World

(c) Literacy rates went up in Europe as 60 to 80 percent

(a) Romances, histories, almanacs, ballads and folktales for entertainment

(c) Ideas of scientists and philosophers included in popular literature

(d) All the above

following is not an innovation of the 20th century?

(b) The dust cover or the book jacket was an innovation

(b) Six colours at a time could be printed by the offset press

(d) Both (a) and (b)

(a) Osaka (b) Nagano (c) Edo (d) Gifu

(a) Raja Rammohan Roy (b) Jyotiba Phule

(c) Johann Gutenberg (d) Erasmus

New Wave Social Science–X (Term 1)

Q.41. The circulation of handwritten manuscripts remained limited because :

[2010, 2011 (T-1)]

Print Culture and the Modern World

[2010, 2011 (T-1)]

(a) It gave freedom to Vernacular press

(c) Buddhist Missionaries from China (d) None of the above

New Wave Social Science–X (Term 1)

(a) Tara Bai Shinde (b) Rash Sundari Devi

(c) Pandita Rama Bai (d) Kailashbashini Devi

Q.60. Which one among the following is an autobiography of Rashsundari Devi?

Q.61. Lending libraries came into existence in the : [2011 (T-1)]

Print Culture and the Modern World