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
c) The Vernacular Press Act
Gutenberg was the son of a merchant and grew up on a large agricultural estate. Since his childhood he had seen the way wine was made by pressing the fruits. Later he learnt the art of polishing stones and became a master goldsmith. He also learnt to create lead moulds used for making trinkets.
Using all the skills he had acquired, he developed on the existing print technology and invented the first printing press in 1430s.
He made moulds, using metal, for the letters of the alphabet. He used these moulds for printing.
By 1448, Gutenberg perfected the printing system.
The first book he printed was the Bible.
180 copies were printed in three years.
Erasmus was a Latin scholar and a Catholic reformer. He criticised the excesses of Catholicism. He expressed a deep anxiety about printing. He felt that though there were a few books that were good most of the books were harmful to the human intellect.
Erasmus felt that it created glut and too much of any thing was harmful. He said that books were full stupid, ignorant, slanderous and scandalous raving. Many books were irreligious and the value of publication was lost due to these books according to Erasmus.
In 1878, the Vernacular Press Act was passed, as vernacular newspapers became assertively nationalist. The Act was modelled on the lines of the Irish Press Laws.
The Vernacular Press Act provided the government with extensive rights to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular press. When a report was judged as rebellious, the newspaper was warned, and if the warning was ignored, the press was liable to be seized and the printing machinery confiscated.
In spite of these repressive measures, nationalist newspapers grew in numbers in all parts of India. These papers reported on colonial misrule and encouraged nationalist activities.
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]
Who said "Printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one ? ] [CBSE 2010. 11, 12]
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]
Name an Act which was passed by the British government to keep a regular track of the vernacular newspapers.
’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 ?
What were the features of the new books which were produced in Europe after the invention of the Gutenberg's press ? [CBSE Sept. 2010]
Write about the different innovations in the printing technology during the 19th century ? [CBSE Sept. 2010]
Why did some people in eighteenth century Europe think that print culture would bring enlightenment and end despotism?
Name any four languages in which Indian manuscript was prepared before the age of print.
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.
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
c) The Vernacular Press Act
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.
How did China remain a major producer of printed materials for a long time ? [CBSE 2013]
Or
"The imperial state in China, was the major producer of printed material.” Support this statement with examples. [CBSE 2013. 2012. 2014]
"Oral culture and print culture were complimentary to each other”. Justify the statement with any three suitable arguments. [CBSE 2013]
Many historians have argued that print culture created the conditions within which the French Revolution occurred.' Explain. [CBSE 2009 (O)]
Or
"Print culture created the conditions within which French revolution occurred."Give any three suitable arguments to support the statement. [CBSE Sept. 2010, 2011]
How were ideas and information written before the age of print in India ? How did the printing technique begin in India ? Explain. [CBSE 2008, Sept. 2010]
Or
Explain the role of missionaries in the growth of press in India. [CBSE Sept. 2010]
How was die print used to spread the religious texts by various communities ? Explain by giving examples. [CBSE 2010 (F)]
Or
What was the main fear of the ‘Ulamas' ? State any two steps taken by the ‘Ulamas’ to defend their religion ? [CBSE 2013]
Or
How did religious communities in India make use of printing technology to spread their ideas ? Explain. [CBSE-2012]