NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science History Chapter 7 Print Culture and the Modern World
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science History Chapter 7 Print Culture and the Modern World help students understand the growth of print technology and its impact on society. This chapter explains the journey of print culture from East Asia to Europe and India, highlighting major developments like the printing press. It shows how print led to the spread of ideas, increased literacy, and social change in the modern world. The question-answer format presents events, terms, and causes in a clear way. Written in simple language and based on the CBSE syllabus, these solutions support effective revision and help students score well in board exams.
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Class 10 Social Science History Chapter 7 Print Culture and the Modern World Questions Answers
Q.1 Give reason for the following:
- Woodblock print only came to Europe after 1295.
- Martin Luther was in favour of print and spoke out in praise of it.
- The Roman Catholic Church began keeping an Index of prohibited books from the mid-sixteenth century.
- Gandhi said the fight for Swaraj is a fight for the liberty of speech, liberty of the press, and freedom of association.
(A) Italian traveller Marco Polo travelled to China and picked up the art of woodblock printing. He carried this information with him when he went back to Italy in 1295. This information gradually travelled from Italy to other regions of Europe. (b) The religious reformer Martin Luther nailed 95 theses—dismissals critical of the corrupt practices of the Catholic Church—to the Wittenberg church door in 1517. Luther's theses were printed in thousands of copies very quickly, which helped propagate his ideas among the populace. When Martin Luther saw that printing had the ability to spark the reformation movement and ultimately lead to the creation of Protestantism, he was profoundly touched. (c) A wide range of unique interpretations of religious beliefs and concepts were fostered by print and popular literature. Italy's Manocchio, a roller, started reading books that were easily accessible in his neighbourhood in the sixteenth century. His fresh reading of the Bible and his conception of God and creation infuriated the Roman Catholic Church. The outcome was that Manocchio was twice hauled up and ultimately executed when the Roman Catholic Church began its inquisition. (d) In 1922, during the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922), Mahatma Gandhi uttered these remarks. He claimed that no nation could possibly exist without the freedoms of speech, the press, and association. These liberties were crucial if the nation was to break free from foreign rule.
Q.2 Write short notes on what you know about:
- The Gutenberg Press
- Erasmus’s idea of the printed book
- The Vernacular Press Act
a) The European printing press originated with the Gutenberg Press. It was created by Strasbourg native Johannes Gutenberg. He was knowledgeable about and had expertise running wine and olive presses because he was raised on a sizable farm. About 1448, he created the printing press, and the first book to be printed was the Bible. (b) The Latin scholar Erasmus was dissatisfied with book printing because he thought it would encourage the spread of publications that advocated rebellious beliefs. While certain books might contain helpful knowledge, he believed that most books are either irrelevant or illogical, which can propagate scandalous or irreligious notions and ultimately encourage revolt. (c) The British government in India passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878. This statute gave the government broad authority to suppress news articles and opinion pieces in the local press. A vernacular publication would be outlawed, and its printing equipment would be confiscated and destroyed if it published any seditious content.
Q.3 What did the spread of print culture in the nineteenth century India mean to:
- Women
- The poor
- Reformers
(a) Women: Women became as important as readers and writers. Reading habits improved among them. With an increase in literacy, women took a great interest in reading and writing. Many journals started emphasizing the importance of women’s education. Many magazines and books were especially published for women.
Women had some freedom to study and form their own opinions on a variety of topics, particularly those pertaining to women, thanks to the print culture.
(b) The Poor: Printed materials, particularly for entertainment purposes, started to reach even the poorest people as the literacy rates in Europe and India increased. Penny magazines were distributed by street vendors in England and only one penny, making them affordable for even the poorest of people.
Folktales and stories could be heard by those who were illiterate. Others could read these folktales and stories to them. Book owners would occasionally rent out their books for a little price. Even in India, the introduction of extremely affordable little books to the market in the city of Madras in the 19th century gave impoverished people access to print culture.
(c) Reformers: To draw attention to the social ills that are pervasive in society, reformers employed books, journals, and newspapers. To draw attention to the situation of widows, Raja Ram Mohan Roy produced the "Sambad Kaumudi."
Many Bengali women writers, such as Kailashbashini Debi, began writing books in the 1860s that highlighted the hardships of women. These writings described how women were treated unfairly by the men they worked for, kept in ignorance, imprisoned at home, and forced to perform harsh household tasks.
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Understanding Print Culture and the Modern World Question Answers: History Class 10
The study of history often feels like looking at a series of dates, but this chapter tells the exciting story of how information became accessible to everyone. When students search for print culture and the modern world question answers, they are looking for the connection between the invention of the printing press and the massive shifts in human thinking.
Whether you are looking for print culture and the modern world question answers class 10 for your board exams or specific print culture and the modern world question answers jkbose for regional curriculum alignment, the core themes remain consistent. These themes revolve around how books changed from being luxury items for the elite to tools of empowerment for the masses.
To help with revision, many students prefer to download a print culture and the modern world question answers pdf. This allows for a deeper look at the technical evolution, from woodblock printing to Gutenberg’s mechanical press, and provides access to print culture and the modern world question answers extra notes that help in tackling complex analytical questions.
Key Concepts and Exam Solutions
The journey of print is divided into several phases. Below is a detailed breakdown based on the NCERT curriculum
1. The Early Days: From China to Europe
Print technology first began in East Asia (China, Japan, and Korea).
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Woodblock Printing: This was the earliest form of print where paper was rubbed against the inked surface of woodblocks.
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The Silk Route: Marco Polo brought the knowledge of woodblock printing from China back to Italy in 1295. From there, it spread to other parts of Europe.
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Gutenberg’s Revolution: Johann Gutenberg developed the first-known printing press in the 1430s. Having grown up on an olive estate, he adapted the design of an olive press to create a lead-mold system for movable metal type. The first book he printed was the Bible.
2. The Reading Mania and the Print Revolution
The more presses that were built, the lower the price of books became. The result was a “Reading Mania” throughout Europe.
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Shifting from Oral to Reading Culture:In the past, information was passed along orally or in writing by handwritten manuscripts. With print media, more people were able to read or listen to stories being read in taverns.
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New Forms of Literature: To appeal to people who were not reading well, books were published with a lot of illustrations, folk stories, and ballads.
3. Print, Religion, and the Public Sphere
Print did not just share stories; it shared ideas that challenged authority.
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The Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther wrote 'Ninety-five Theses' criticizing the Roman Catholic Church. His printed ideas spread so quickly that they led to a permanent split in the Church. Luther famously called print "God’s highest act of grace."
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The Index of Prohibited Books: Concerned by the spread of "irreligious" or rebellious ideas, the Roman Catholic Church began maintaining an index of banned books in 1558 to control what people were reading.
4. The Impact of Print in India
Print technology arrived in India much later, but its impact was equally revolutionary.
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The First Press: The printing press first came to Goa with Portuguese missionaries in the mid-16th century.
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Vernacular Press: By the 19th century, many newspapers and journals were being published in local languages. This allowed common people to debate social and religious reforms.
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Print and Women: Women started reading more, and many began writing about their lives. For example, Rashsundari Devi wrote 'Amar Jiban', the first full-length autobiography in Bengali.
5. Censorship and the Vernacular Press Act
As print became a tool for the Indian nationalist movement, the British colonial government sought to control it. The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was passed, modeled on the Irish Press Laws. It gave the government extensive powers to censor reports and editorials in local language newspapers. If a newspaper published "seditious" material and ignored a warning, the government could seize the printing machinery.
The Power of Resistance: Print and the Indian National Movement
Despite harsh censorship laws like the Vernacular Press Act, print culture became the primary weapon for Indian nationalists. Leaders used newspapers to expose colonial exploitation and unite a diverse population against British rule. By smuggling pamphlets and writing bold editorials, they ensured that the message of "Swaraj" reached every corner of the country, proving that once ideas are in print, they become impossible to silence.
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Benefits of PW Class 10 Study Material
CBSE Syllabus Aligned
PW Class 10 Study Material follows the latest CBSE syllabus and board exam pattern, covering all chapters clearly.
Simple and Clear Content
Concepts are explained in easy language with examples and diagrams for better understanding.
Exam-Oriented Resources
It includes NCERT solutions, important questions, sample papers, and previous year questions.
Effective Revision Support
Well-structured notes help in quick revision, boost confidence, and improve Class 10 board exam performance.
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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science History Chapter 7 FAQs
What was woodblock printing?
Woodblock printing was a technique where text or patterns were carved into a block of wood. The raised parts were inked, and paper was pressed against them to create an image or text. It was the primary method of printing in China before the mechanical press.
Why did Gutenberg choose the Bible as his first printed book?
Gutenberg printed the Bible because it was the most in-demand book in Europe at the time. He printed approximately 180 copies, which took three years—a speed that was considered incredibly fast during that era.
How did print lead to the Protestant Reformation?
Martin Luther used the power of print to distribute his 'Ninety-five Theses'. Because copies could be produced quickly and cheaply, his criticisms of the Church reached a massive audience, sparking debates that the Church could no longer contain through traditional means.
What was the Vernacular Press Act?
The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was a law passed by the British to strictly control the Indian press. It targeted newspapers written in Indian languages to prevent the spread of nationalist ideas and criticisms of colonial rule.
Who was Erasmus?
Erasmus was a Latin scholar who was actually quite critical of print. While he used it, he worried that the ease of printing allowed "ignorant and slanderous" books to spread, which might overwhelm the "good" literature.
