Class 10 History Ch 5 – Print Culture and the Modern World

NCERT CLASS 10 HISTORY • DETAILED SOLUTIONS • CHAPTER 5 • PRINT CULTURE AND THE MODERN WORLD

Print Culture & The Modern World

Detailed Explanations & Long Answers

Write in Brief

Question 1

Give reasons for the following:
(a) Woodblock print only came to Europe after 1295.
(b) Martin Luther was in favour of print and spoke out in praise of it.
(c) The Roman Catholic Church began keeping an Index of Prohibited Books from the mid-sixteenth century.
(d) Gandhi said the fight for Swaraj is a fight for liberty of speech, liberty of the press, and freedom of association.

(a) Woodblock print and Europe (1295):
Woodblock printing was invented in China. In 1295, the great Italian explorer Marco Polo returned to Italy after many years of exploration in China. He brought the knowledge of woodblock printing back with him. Following this, Italians began producing books with woodblocks, and the technology spread to other parts of Europe.

(b) Martin Luther and Print:
Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses criticizing the practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Thanks to print, his writings were reproduced in vast numbers and read widely. This led to the Protestant Reformation. Deeply grateful, he said: “Printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one.” He believed print helped circulate ideas and bring about a new intellectual atmosphere.

(c) Index of Prohibited Books (1558):
The printed book made it possible for dissenting ideas to spread easily. The Roman Catholic Church was troubled by the effects of popular readings and questionings of faith. To impose control over publishers and booksellers and suppress “heretical” ideas, the Church began maintaining an Index of Prohibited Books from 1558.

(d) Gandhi on Liberty of Press:
Gandhi believed that liberty of speech, press, and association were the three most powerful vehicles of expressing and cultivating public opinion. He argued that no nation could truly survive or grow if these freedoms were stifled. The fight for Swaraj (self-rule) was meaningless without the power to express oneself freely.

Question 2

Write short notes to show what you know about:
(a) The Gutenberg Press
(b) Erasmus’s idea of the printed book
(c) The Vernacular Press Act

(a) The Gutenberg Press:
Developed by Johann Gutenberg in Strasbourg (Germany) in the 1430s.

Invention: He adapted the olive press technology. The metal types were used for the letters of the alphabet.
First Book: The first book he printed was the Bible. About 180 copies were printed in three years—a speed fast for that time.
Impact: This shifted printing from hand-copying to mechanical production, launching the Print Revolution.

(b) Erasmus’s Idea:
Erasmus, a Latin scholar and Catholic reformer, was critical of the print culture.

Criticism: He believed that print created a “glut” of books. He feared that while some books were valuable, the majority were scandalous, irreligious, and seditious.
Fear: He argued that the multitude of “bad” books devalued the few “good” ones.

(c) The Vernacular Press Act (1878):
Passed by the British colonial government in India, modelled on the Irish Press Laws.

Purpose: To repress the “seditious” reports in the vernacular (local language) newspapers.
Power: It gave the government extensive rights to censor reports and editorials. If a newspaper ignored a warning, the press could be confiscated and the machinery seized.

Question 3

What did the spread of print culture in nineteenth-century India mean to:
(a) Women
(b) The Poor
(c) Reformers

(a) For Women:

Education: Print created an opportunity for education. Liberal husbands taught wives at home.
Expression: Women started writing about their own lives. Rashsundari Debi wrote Amar Jiban (the first autobiography in Bengali), describing her struggle to learn to read.
Resistance: In Punjab, Ram Chaddha published Istri Dharm Vichar to teach women obedience, but other writings highlighted the miserable lives of widows and the injustice of the caste system.

(b) For the Poor:

Access: Very cheap small books were brought to markets in nineteenth-century Madras and sold at crossroads. Poor people could afford to read them.
Libraries: Public libraries were set up, expanding access to books.
Social Justice: Books like Gulamgiri by Jyotiba Phule exposed the injustices of the caste system, inspiring the poor.

(c) For Reformers:

Tool for Debate: Print allowed reformers to argue against social evils (sati, idolatry, caste).
Reach: They could print tracts and newspapers in the vernacular to reach the wider public, not just the educated elite. (e.g., Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s Sambad Kaumudi).

Discuss

Discuss Q1

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

Many thinkers believed that print culture was a powerful force for progress:

1. Spreading Reason: They believed books could spread the “light of reason” and destroy the basis of tyranny and superstition.
2. Louise-Sebastien Mercier: The French novelist proclaimed: “Tremble, therefore, tyrants of the world! Tremble before the virtual writer!” He believed the printing press was the most powerful engine of progress.
3. Critical Thinking: By reading the works of Voltaire and Rousseau, people began to question the “divine right” of kings and the authority of the Church. This new “public culture” of debate was seen as the end of despotism.

Discuss Q2

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

The Fear: Authorities and religious leaders feared that if there was no control over what was printed, rebellious and irreligious thoughts would spread, destroying valuable traditions and authority.

Example 1: Europe (Roman Catholic Church):
The Church feared that printed books were spreading “heretical” ideas (like those of Martin Luther and Menocchio). They felt their religious authority was being undermined. This led them to maintain the Index of Prohibited Books and persecute publishers.

Example 2: India (Conservative Hindus and Muslims):
Conservative Hindus feared that teenage widows would start imagining things or that women would become corrupt if they read books. Muslim religious leaders (ulama) feared that colonial education and printed books would destroy their culture and lead to the conversion of Muslims to Christianity.

Discuss Q3

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

The spread of print culture empowered the poor in several ways:

1. Awareness of Injustice: Print media highlighted issues like caste discrimination and landlord oppression. Jyotiba Phule wrote Gulamgiri (1871) to link the condition of low-caste Indians with black slaves in America.
2. New Leaders: In the 20th century, B.R. Ambedkar (Maharashtra) and E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar) in Madras wrote powerfully on caste, and their writings were read by ordinary people.
3. Self-Education: Workers in factories (like in Kanpur) wrote and published Chhote Aur Bade Ka Sawal to show the links between caste and class exploitation. Public libraries allowed even those who couldn’t afford books to read.

Discuss Q4

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

Print culture was the backbone of the Indian National Movement:

1. Unifying the People: Newspapers (like Kesari by Bal Gangadhar Tilak) reported on colonial misrule and encouraged nationalist activities. They allowed people in different parts of India to connect and feel like one nation.
2. Spreading Ideas: Nationalist leaders used print to spread the ideas of Swaraj, liberty, and justice. Visual images (like Bharat Mata) helped create a visual identity for the nation.
3. Countering Colonial Rule: Despite censorship (Vernacular Press Act), nationalist newspapers grew in numbers. When the government suppressed them, they went underground or used secret presses to keep the spirit of resistance alive.