Print culture and the modern world

 Print culture and the modern World

1. Name the three countries where earliest printing technology developed/handprinting 

Ans. China Japan and korea

Explain the process of printing books in china.

What were accordion books? 

Define the term calligraphy

By the seventeenth century, as urban culture bloomed in China, the uses of print diversified. Discuss

Why was the demand for printing increasing tremendously in China? 

Shanghai became the hub of the new print culture,catering to the Western-style schools

The oldest Japanese book,printed in AD 868, is the Buddhist Diamond Sutra, containing six sheets of text and woodcut illustrations.

What were the problems concerning manuscripts 

Ans 

• Copying was an expensive,laborious and time-consuming business. 
• Manuscripts were fragile,
• Awkward to handle, and 
• Could not be carried around or read easily.
• Their circulation therefore remained limited

Who developed the first printing press? Where and in which country? 

Name the first book printed. 

Ans, Bible 

What was the printing revolution? Discuss. 

Why were people apprehensive of printing? 

Explain about the contributions of Martin Luther. 

What do you understand by protestant Reformation? 

Who said, "printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one"? 

Ans. Martin Luther

Who was menocchio? 

What do you understand by the index of prohibited books? 

What do you understand by the dance of macabre? 

Define the terms

• satiety, 
• Penny chapbooks,
• Bibliotheque bleue 
• Seditious
• Almanac 
• Denomination
• Despotism
• Shilling series

New forms of popular literature appeared in print, targeting new audiences. Discuss. 

How did the ideas of scientists and philosophers now become more accessible to the common people? 

… tremble therefore tyrants of the world. Tremble before the virtual writer! Explain the statement. 

Print created the ideal conditions within which the French Revolution occurred. Discuss. 

Explain about the contribution of the Grimm brothers. 

Women became important as readers and writers. Discuss. 

Name the 3 important women novelists. 

Explain about the importance of lending libraries and it's importance in terms of intellectual development. 

Explain about the innovations in printing technology in the late 18th century. 

India had a very rich and old tradition of handwritten manuscripts. Discuss

Who brought the first printing press to Goa/India? 

Ans. The Portuguese

Explain about the contribution of Christian missionaries in bringing print to India? (3 mark) 

Who was James Augustus Hickey? Name the weekly magazine he published. 

Name the book printed by Ram Mohan Roy. Also name the book published by hindu orthodoxy in opposition to Ram Mohan Roy. 

Ans sambad kaumadi and samachar chandrika 

Name the 2 newspapers published in Persian

Ans jam-i-jahan nama and shamsul akhbar. 

Name the newspaper published in gujarati 

Ans. Bombay samachar 

Why did the muslim ulamas start their own printing press? 

Define the terms

Ulamas, 

Fatwa 

When was the first Ramcharitmanas printed and where? 

Name the 2 printing press which printed religious text in vernacular language. 

Ans naval kishore press and shri venkateshwar press in bombay. 

By the end of the nineteenth century a new printing culture was taking shape. Discuss

From the late nineteenth century the issues of caste discrimination began to be written about in many printed tracts and essays. Discuss 

Name the authors of the following books

Chote aur bade ka sawal - kashibaba

Gulamgiri - jyotiba phule

Sachi kavitayan - sudarshan chakr

Explain the contribution of 

Thomas Macaulay. 

Bentick

Discuss about the vernacular press of 1878.

Explain about the contribution of bal gangadhar tilak. Name the newspaper he wrote. Ans. Kesari. 

. New forms of popular literature appeared in print, targeting new audiences. Discuss. Pg 114

Q. The ideas of scientists and philosophers now became more accessible to the common people. Discuss. Pg114

Q. "Tremble, therefore, tyrants of the world!". Discuss. Pg 115

Q. Many historians have argued that print culture created the conditions within which french revolution occurred. Discuss. Pg 115

Q. Explain the contribution of The Grimm Brothers. Pg 117

CHAPTER 1.5

Print Culture and Modern World

ONE MARK QUESTIONS

1. Why did the Roman Catholic Church impose control

over publisher’s and booksellers? [CBSE 2018]

2. Which place had the breakthrough of first printing

press?

Ans : [CBSE 2016]

The breakthrough of first printing press took place in

Strasbourg in Germany.

3. Mention the technique adopted to educate white collar

workers in Europe during the 19th century.

Ans : [CBSE 2016]

It was the technique of lending libraries to educate

white collar workers in Europe during the 19th century.

4. Mention any one technique of preserving the

manuscript of India. [CBSE 2016]

Ans :

These were preserved by pressing between the wooden

covers or sewn together.

5. Who brought the print culture to Japan?

Ans : [CBSE 2016]

The print culture was brought to Japan by the

Buddhist Missionaries from China.

6. Name the Chinese traditional book, which was folded

and stitched at the side. [CBSE 2015]

Ans :

The traditional ‘Accordion Book’ of China was folded

and stitched at the side because both the sides of the

thin; porous sheets could not be printed.

7. Mention any one characteristic feature of the off-set

press.

Ans : [CBSE 2015]

The offset press was able to print upto 6 colours at a

time.

8. Name the first edition of the Indian religious text

published in vernacular. [CBSE 2014]

Ans :

Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas was the first edition of

the Indian religious text published in vernacular.

9. Name the oldest Japanese book.

Ans : [CBSE 2014]

The Buddhist Diamond Sutra was the oldest Japanese

book.

THREE MARKS QUESTIONS

10. Why couldn’t the production of hand written

manuscripts satisfy the ever increasing demand for

books? Give any three reasons. [CBSE 2016]

Ans :

The production of handwritten manuscripts could not

satisfy the ever increasing demand for books due to

the following reasons:

a. In India, there is rich and old tradition of

handwritten manuscripts in different languages

which were copied on palm leaves or on handmade

papers.

b. These manuscripts were highly expensive and

fragile.

c. They needed careful handling.

11. Explain any three features of handwritten manuscripts

before the age of print in India.

Ans : [CBSE 2010, 2014, 2016]

The three features of the handwritten manuscripts

before the age of print in India are:

a. In India, there is rich and old tradition of

handwritten manuscripts in different languages

which were copied on palm leaves or on handmade

papers.

b. These manuscripts were highly expensive, fragile

and needed careful handling.

c. These were preserved by pressing between the

wooden covers or sewn together.

d. Reading the manuscripts was not easy as they

were written in different styles which limits its

use.

12. Explain any three factors responsible for the invention

of new printing techniques. [CBSE 2016]

Ans :

The three factors responsible for the invention of new

printing techniques were:

a. The handwritten manuscripts production was not

sufficient to meet the demand.

b. These manuscripts were highly expensive, fragile

and needed careful handling.

c. It was expensive and time consuming to copy the

handwritten manuscripts.

13. How’ were magazines different from novels? Write any

three differences. [CBSE 2016]

Ans :

File Revision Date : 1 July 2019

CBSE Previous Year Exams Questions Exam 2019-2020

CLASS : 10th

SUB : Social Science

Unit 1 : India and the Contemporary World - II

Chap 1.5 : Print Culture and Modern World 

The three differences between the magazines and

novels were:

a. The magazines had several stories whereas the

novels had just one story.

b. The magazines were periodically published

whereas the novels were one time publication.

c. There might be several writers of one magazine

but the novels had only one author.

14. In what three ways did the printed books at first

closely resemble the written manuscripts?

Ans : [CBSE 2015]

The three ways in which initially the printed books

closely resembled the written manuscripts were:

a. Initially the printed books resembled the written

manuscripts in appearance.

b. It resembled in layout as the metal letters

imitated the ornamental handwritten styles and

the borders were illuminated by hand.

c. There was blank space for decoration in the books

printed for the rich and the design was chosen by

the buyer.

15. How did the print bring the reading public and hearing

public closer? [CBSE 2015]

Ans :

Earlier the society was divided into the oral culture

and reading culture. The common people had the

oral culture while only the rich people had the

reading culture. The common people heard the texts

collectively which were read out or recited or narrated

to them.

The reading culture was only limited to the elites

and they only read the books individually and silently.

The reason behind this culture may be the books were

expensive, produced less in numbers and also the

literacy rate was very low in most of the European

countries.

To solve the problem of illiteracy as a barrier in

the wider reach of the printed books, the popular

ballads and folk tales beautifully illustrated with

pictures were published which were sung and recited

in the village gatherings and the taverns in towns.

Hence the line separating the oral culture and the

reading culture started becoming blurred.

16. Describe wood-block printing. [CBSE 2015]

Ans :

Wood-block printing was a technique of printing the

books by rubbing the paper against the inked surface

of the woodblocks.

Marco Polo returned to Italy from China in the

year 1295 and brought the technology of woodblock

printing.

To meet the expanded demand for books the

export of books increased, book fairs were held,

organized the production of handwritten manuscripts

and woodblock printing became more popular.

17. What was Protestant reformation?

Ans : [CBSE 2015]

Martin Luther was a religious reformer. He wrote

95 theses in the year 1517 against the practices and

rituals of the Roman Catholic Church.

This action of Martin Luther led to the division

within the church and marked the beginning of the

Protestant reformers.

It was basically a movement for the reformation

of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century.

18. Explain any three reasons which created a large

number of new readers in the nineteenth century.

Ans :

Three reasons which created a large number of new

readers in the nineteenth century were:

a. During this period the literacy increased which

increased the number of readers among the

children, women and workers.

b. Primary education was made compulsory and

hence the children became the important section

of readers. The publishing industries started

producing the school textbooks. In the year

1857, a children’s press was set up in France for

publishing the literature for children only which

published the new works along with the old fairy

and folk tales.

c. Technique of lending libraries to educate white

collar workers in Europe during the 19th century.

d. Women became the important readers as well as

writers. For women readers especially there was

penny magazines.

19. What were the limitations of the written manuscripts

in India? Explain. [CBSE 2014]

Ans :

The following were the limitations of the written

manuscripts in India:

a. These manuscripts were highly expensive, fragile

and needed careful handling.

b. Reading the manuscripts was not easy as they

were written in different styles which limits its

use.

c. It was not used in everyday life by the common

people.

20. Examine the role of missionaries in the growth of

press in India. [CBSE 2013]

Ans :

The hand printing technology was introduced to Japan

by the Buddhist missionaries of China around AD

768-770. In 868 AD, the Buddhist Diamond Sutra was

printed which is considered the oldest Japanese book.

It contain 6 sheets of text and woodcut illustrations.

a. The Portuguese missionaries firstly brought the

printing press to Goa in India in the mid-16th

century.

b. The Jesuit priests learnt Konkani and Kanara

languages in India.

c. Tamil texts were also printed (32 texts) and

translated by the Dutch missionaries by the year

1710.

21. How did the knowledge of wood block printing come

to Europe? Explain. [CBSE2016]

Ans :

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Chap 1.5 : Print Culture and Modern World www.cbse.online

a. The wood block printing was developed in China.

In this technology the books were printed by

rubbing the paper against the surface of the

woodblocks.

b. Earlier the silk route was used by China to export

silk and spices to Europe and in the 17th century

through the same route Chinese paper reached

Europe.

c. Marco Polo returned to Italy from China in

the year 1295 and brought the technology of

woodblock printing.

d. To meet the expanded demand for books the

export of books increased, book fairs were

held, organized the production of handwritten

manuscripts and woodblock printing became

more popular.

22. “By the end of 19th century a new visual culture was

taking shape.” Explain. [CBSE 2011]

Ans :

It is true to state that by the end of 19th century

a new visual culture was taking shape. Lyrics, short

stories, essays on social and political matters, visual

images, calendars, caricatures and cartoons became

the new forms of publications. Raja Ravi Varma was

the famous painter in the 19th century India.

These new forms of publications popularized the

ideas of modernity and tradition, religion and politics,

and society and culture.

23. How did new form of popular literature appear in

print targeting new audience in the 18th century?

Explain with examples. [CBSE 2012]

Ans :

Lyrics, short stories, essays on social and political

matters, visual images, calendars, caricatures and

cartoons became the new forms of publications. These

new forms of publications popularized the ideas of

modernity and tradition, religion and politics, and

society and culture.

Women’s reading increased among the middle

class because their lives and feeling began to be

written.

For the easy and affordable access of the printed

books to even the poor people very cheap, small books

were published and also the public libraries were set

up. Primary education was made compulsory and

hence the children became the important section of

readers. The publishing industries started producing

the school textbooks.

24. Explain the effects of print culture in the religious

sphere in early modern Europe. [CBSE 2010]

Ans :

The print culture helped in the circulation of ideas,

debates and discussion. It was used by the rebellions

to let the people know the truth and take action

against the established authorities. The printed books

were welcomed and also people had fear due to the

rebellious and irreligious thoughts.

a. Martin Luther was a religious reformer. He wrote

95 theses in the year 1517 against the practices

and rituals of the Roman Catholic Church.

b. Menocchio was a miller in Italy who interpreted

the message of Bible. The Roman Catholic Church

was enraged due to his view of god and creation.

c. The Roman Catholic Church started identifying

such ideas, beliefs and persons who wrote against

the church and thus Menocchio was hauled up

twice and finally executed.

d. Several restrictions were put over the publishers

and the booksellers by the church and also the

church ordered them to follow the Index of

prohibited books from 1558.

25. Who invented printing press? How did he develop the

printing technology? [CBSE 2009]

Ans :

Johann Gutenberg developed the first known printing

press in 1430s at Strasbourg, Germany.

Most of his childhood was spent on a large

agricultural estates where he saw wine and olive

presses. He learnt polishing stones and created lead

moulds.

The olive press was the model for the printing

press and the moulds were used for casting the metal

types for the letters of the alphabet.

FIVE MARKS QUESTIONS

26. The ‘print revolution’ had transformed the lives of

people changing their relationship to information and

knowledge.” Analyse the statement.

Ans : [CBSE 2018]

Print revolution was a development in terms of

producing the books in a newer and faster way which

transformed the lives of the people, their relationship

with information and knowledge and opened ways

for newer perception in the world. The introduction

of printing press brought the following changes — a

new culture of reading emerged, cost of the books

came down, reduced the time and labour engaged in

publishing, produced multiple copies and the market

got flooded with books.

The print culture helped in the circulation of

ideas, debates and discussion. It was used by the

rebellions to let the people know the truth and take

action against the established authorities.

In the 17th and 18th centuries number of schools

were opened by the churches to spread literacy in the

villages and to the peasants and artisans which caused

a virtual reading mania.

During this period the literacy increased which

rose the number of readers among the children, women

and workers.

27. How did print introduce debate and discussions?

Explain any three points. [CBSE 2011]

Ans :

a. The print culture spread the ideas of the great

thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau. They criticized

tradition, custom, superstition, despotism and the

authority of church. They wanted rule of reason,

questioning and rationality.

Chap 1.5 : Print Culture and Modern World 

b. Debate and dialogue started due to the coming of

the print culture which resulted in the re-evaluation

of the values, norms and the institutions. This

had brought the idea of social revolution.

c. The morality pf the royal powers were criticized

and the social order was questioned. The cartoons

and the caricatures revealed the sensual pleasures

of the monarchs and the hardship of the common

people. Hence, the people stood against the

monarchy.

d. During the 19th century, people debated,

interpreted and criticized the different religious

beliefs like widow immolation, monotheism,

Brahmanical priesthood and idolatry. Some

people campaigned for the reform whereas others

countered the arguments of the reformers.

e. The printed materials and the newspapers spread

the new ideas and also shaped the nature of

debate which gave opportunity to the people to

participate in the public debates.

28. “Printing press played a major role in shaping the

Indian society of the 19th century.” Analyse the

statement.

Ans : [CBSE 2016]

Yes, it is true to say that Printing press played a major

role in shaping the Indian society of the 19th century.

a. The Portuguese missionaries firstly brought the

printing press to Goa in India in the mid-16th

century.

b. During the 19th century, people debated,

interpreted and criticized the different religious

beliefs like widow immolation, monotheism,

Brahmanical priesthood and idolatry. Some

people campaigned for the reform whereas others

countered the arguments of the reformers.

c. The printed materials and the newspapers spread

the new ideas and also shaped the nature of

debate which gave opportunity to the people to

participate in the public debates.

d. Women’s reading increased among the middle

class because their lives and feeling began to be

written and also the liberal husbands and fathers

focused on their education.

e. For the easy and affordable access of the printed

books to even the poor people very cheap, small

books were published and also the public libraries

were set up.

29. What was the attitude of the liberal and conservative

Indians towards women’s reading? How did women

like Kailashbhashini Debi respond to this in their

writings?

Ans : [CBSE 2014,2015]

Women’s reading increased among the middle class

because their lives and feeling began to be written

and also the liberal husbands and fathers focused on

their education.

The conservative Hindu families believed that the

literate girl would be widowed. The conservative

Muslim families thought that by reading Urdu romances

their women would be corrupted. Kailashbhashini

Debi from Bengal, wrote about the experiences of

the women such as how they are imprisoned at home,

ignorance, forced work, unjust treatment at home and

society etc.

30. Explain with examples the role of print culture in the

bringing of the French revolution. [CBSE 2015]

Ans :

Three different arguments were put forward in

connection with the print culture and the French

revolution.

The print culture spread the ideas of the great

thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau. They criticized

tradition, custom, superstition, despotism and the

authority of church. They wanted rule of reason,

questioning and rationality. Debate and dialogue

started due to the coming of the print culture which

resulted in the re-evaluation of the values, norms

and the institutions. This had brought the idea of

social revolution. The morality of the royal powers

were criticized and the social order was questioned.

The cartoons and the caricatures revealed the sensual

pleasures of the monarchs and the hardship of the

common people. Hence, the people stood against the

monarchy.

It is not true to say that the print culture was the

direct cause of the French revolution. The print culture

spread the ideas but people were reading different

kinds of literature in which people like Voltaire and

Rousseau were also exposed. The people interpreted

the things in their own way as they accepted some

ideas and rejected others.

31. How had the earliest printing technology developed in

the world? Explain with examples.

Ans : [CBSE 2014]

The development of the earliest printing technology

can be traced as follows:

a. In the beginning the system of hand printing was

developed in China, Japan and Korea.

b. The wood block printing was developed in China.

In this technology the books were printed by

rubbing the paper against the surface of the

woodblocks.

c. The volume of the print increased in China due

to the increase in the number of candidates in the

civil services exam through which the candidates

were recruited in the huge bureaucratic system.

d. 17th century urbanization in China also diversified

the use of print in China. The scholar officials,

merchants, rich women, wives and courtesans

started the use of print.

e. The western printing techniques and mechanical

presses reached the outpost of China and thus

Shanghai became the hub of this new print culture.

32. Martin Luther remarked, “Printing is the ultimate

gift of god and the greatest one.” Explain his remarks

in the light of religious reforms that took place in

Europe.

Ans : [CBSE 2013]

Martin Luther was a religious reformer. He wrote

95 theses in the year 1517 against the practices and

rituals of the Roman Catholic Church.

This action of Martin Luther led to the division

Download all GUIDE and Sample Paper pdfs from www.cbse.online or www.rava.org.in Page 38

Chap 1.5 : Print Culture and Modern World www.cbse.online

within the church and marked the beginning of the

Protestants reformers. Luther said that the ‘printing is

the ultimate gift of god and the greatest one’ because

5000 copies of his translated New Testament were sold

within few weeks and also the 2nd edition came in the

market in three months only.

Menocchio was a miller in Italy who interpreted

the message of Bible. The Roman Catholic Church

was enraged due to his view of god and creation.

The Roman Catholic Church started identifying

such ideas, beliefs and persons who wrote against the

church and thus Menocchio was hauled up twice and

finally executed. Several restrictions were put over

the publishers and the booksellers by the church and

also the church ordered them to follow the Index of

Prohibited Books from 1558.

33. Printing technology gave women a chance to share

their feelings with the world outside.” Support the

statement with any five examples. [CBSE 2013]

Ans :

7th century urbanization in China also ) diversified the

use of print in China. The scholar officials, merchants,

rich women, wives and courtesans started the use of

print. W o m e n became the important readers as well

as writers. For women readers especially there was

penny magazines. These magazines were basically the

manuals of proper behaviour and housekeeping.

a. Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and George Eliot

were some famous women novelists. These women

novelists defined a new type of women with will,

strength of personality, determination and power

to think. Kailashbhashini Debi from Bengal, wrote

about the experiences of the women such as how

they are imprisoned at home, ignorance, forced

work, unjust treatment at home and society etc.

b. Tarabai Shinde and Pandita Ramabai from

Maharashtra wrote about the miserable lives of

the widows.

c. The Hindi printing discussed the issues like

women’s education, widow remarriage and

national movement along with the household and

fashion lessons.

d. Istri Dharm Vichar was published by Ram

Chaddha of Punjab to teach women how to

become an obedient wife.

e. The Khalsa Tract Society also wrote about the

good qualities of women. It was basically in the

form of dialogues.

f. The Battala in the central Calcutta was known

for the printing of the popular books including

the religious as well as obscene and scandalous

literatures.

34. How did a new reading public emerge with the printing

press? Explain. [CBSE 2009]

Ans :

a. The introduction of printing press brought the

following changes - a new culture of reading

emerged, cost of the books came down, reduced

the time and labour engaged in publishing,

produced multiple copies and the market got

flooded with books.

b. Earlier, the society was divided into the oral

culture and reading culture. The common people

had the oral culture while only the rich people

had the reading culture,

c. The common people heard the texts collectively

which were read out or recited or narrated to

them.

d. The reading culture was only limited upto the

elites and they only read the books individually

and silently. The reason behind this culture may

be the books were expensive, produced less in

numbers and also the literacy rate was very low in

most of the European countries.

e. To solve the problem of illiteracy as a bander j in

the wider reach of the printed books, the popular

ballads and folk tales beautifully illustrated with

pictures were published which were sung and

recited in the village gatherings and the taverns in

towns. Hence the line separating the oral culture

and the reading culture started becoming blurred.

 he inventions that influenced the printing press? Pg 118