History

Print Culture and the Modern World

Question:

Explain the role of print in the religious reforms in India. [CBSE 2011]

Answer:

(i) Debate over social issues: Print initiated an intense controversies between social and religious reformers and the Hindu orthodoxy over matters like widow immolation, monotheism, Brahmanical priesthood and idolatry. In Bengal, as the debate developed, tracts and newspapers proliferated, circulating a variety of arguments. To reach a wider audience, the ideas were printed in the everyday, spoken language of ordinary people.
(ii) Ideas of Reformers: Print carried the ideas of social reformers to the common people. For example Sambad Kaumudl carried the ideas and philosophy of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
(iii) Reforms in Muslims: In north India, the ulama were deeply anxious about the collapse of Muslim dynasties. They feared that colonial rulers would encourage conversion, change the Muslim personal laws. To counter this, they used cheap lithographic presses, published Persian and Urdu translations of holy scriptures, and printed religious newspapers and tracts. The Deoband Seminary, founded in 1867, published thousands upon thousands of fatwas telling Muslim readers how to conduct themselves in their everyday lives, and explaining the meanings of Islamic doctrines.
(iv) Reforms in Hindus: Among Hindus, too, print encouraged the reading of religious texts, especially in the vernacular languages. The first printed edition of the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas, a sixteenth- century text, came out from Calcutta in 1810.

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Print Culture and the Modern World

Q 1.

Name the first Weekly that appeared in India. Who bought it out ? (CBSE 2014)

Q 2.

What were Biliotheque Blue ?

Q 3.

Explain the main features of the first printed Bible. [CBSE Sept. 2010]
Or
Describe any three main features of the first printed Bible. [CBSE 2014]

Q 4.

Which material was used to print pictures in Japan?

Q 5.

Name an Act which was passed by the British government to keep a regular track of the vernacular newspapers.

Q 6.

What is manuscript ?

Q 7.

What were Chap books ? (CBSE 2014)

Q 8.

Name any four Indian women writers of the 19th century.

Q 9.

Who invented power driven cylindrical press ? What were its advantages ?

Q 10.

’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 Khilafat … means a fight for this threatened freedom before all else….’
Who said these words ?

Q 11.

How was sale of books promoted in small towns?

Q 12.

What is calligraphy ?

Q 13.

Name two scholars whose writings inspired French people.

Q 14.

Write about the different innovations in the printing technology during the 19th century ? [CBSE Sept. 2010]

Q 15.

Study the given paragraph and answer the following questions that follow :
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 Khilafat …. means a fight for this threatened freedom before all else ….'
(i) Who said these words ?

(ii) Name the freedoms he is talking about.

Q 16.

Describe the issue of caste as taken by the novelists in India. [CBSE 2013]

Q 17.

Who printed the first Tamil book ?

Q 18.

Who was the author of Amar Jiban ?

Q 19.

Why did some people in the eighteenth century Europe think that print culture would bring enlightenment and end despotism ? [CBSE Sept. 2010, 2011]
Or
Assess the impact of print revolution on the European society. [CBSE 2013]

Q 20.

Write a brief note on Martin Luther.

Q 21.

What is calligraphy?

Q 22.

Who was the major producer of printed material in China ? For what purpose this material was used ?

Q 23.

What was Vernacular Press Act ? (CBSE 2014)

Q 24.

What was an accordion book"? Describe any two features of hand printing in China ?

Q 25.

When was print technology introduced in Japan?

Q 26.

What medium was used for writing ancient Indian scriptures?

Q 27.

Who was Marco Polo ?

Q 28.

Who were scribes ?

Q 29.

What was the role of cartoons and caricatures in the French Revolution ?

Q 30.

What was the basic objective of Ninety Five Theses ?

Q 31.

In north India, the ulama were deeply anxious about the collapse of Muslim dynasties. They feared that colonial rulers would encourage conversion, change the Muslim personal laws. Mention any two steps taken by them to counter this.

Q 32.

Who wrote Istri Dharam Vichar ?

Q 33.

Who wrote Gulamgiri ? (CBSE 2014)

Q 34.

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

Q 35.

How did Gutenberg personalise the printed hooks suiting to the tastes and requirement of others ? [CBSE 2012]

Q 36.

Who brought out the first Indian newspaper published in English?

Q 37.

The printing press is the most powerful engine of progress and public opinion is the force that will sweep despotism away". Who said these words ?

Q 38.

Name any two women novelist of the 19th century.

Q 39.

Mention any four social values which print culture promoted.

Q 40.

"Woodblock print came to Europe after 1295". Give any three reasons to explain the above statement. [CBSE Sept. 2010]

Q 41.

What restrictions were imposed by the Vernacular Press Act on the Indian Press ? Explain. [CBSE-2011]
Or
In what ways the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was a repressive step by the Government ? Explain. [CBSE-2011]

Q 42.

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

Q 43.

How did the print revolution influence the reading habit of the people of Europe?

Q 44.

Give a brief description of the first form of print technology.

Q 45.

How did the print revolution influence the reading habit of the people of Europe?

Q 46.

What were the features of the new books which were produced in Europe after the invention of the Gutenberg's press ?  [CBSE Sept. 2010]

Q 47.

Name the first book published by Johann Guttenbcrg.

Q 48.

What was print revolution ?

Q 49.

Who started publishing Sambad Kaumudi from 1821?

Q 50.

Who was Martin Luther ?