What were the effects of the spread of print culture for poor people in nineteenth century India?
Very cheap small books were brought to markets in nineteenth-century and sold at crossroads, allowing poor people travelling to markets to buy them. Public libraries were set up from the early twentieth century, expanding the access to books. These libraries were located mostly in cities and towns, and at times in prosperous villages.
From the late nineteenth century, issues of caste discrimination began to be written and these writings were read by people all over India.
This brought about awareness among the poor who were now able to assert themselves.
Kashibaba, a Kanpur mill worker, wrote and published Chhote Aur Bade Ka Sawal in 1938 to show the links between caste and class exploitation.
By the 1930s, Bangalore cotton mill workers set up libraries to educate themselves, following the example of Bombay workers. These were sponsored by social reformers who tried to restrict excessive drinking among them, to bring literacy and to propagate the message of nationalism.
Many poor people also got employment in the print industry.
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]
Name the printing presses which published numerous religious texts in vernaculars from the 1880s.
State any three points of importance of penny chapbooks. [CBSE Sept. 2010.2011]
Or
Describe some of the new printed books which were sold by the pedlars in villages in the eighteenth century Europe. [CBSE-2012, 2014]
Why were the printed books popular even among illiterate people ? [CBSE Sept. 2010, 2012]
What were the features of the new books which were produced in Europe after the invention of the Gutenberg's press ? [CBSE Sept. 2010]
Who said "Printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one ? ] [CBSE 2010. 11, 12]
’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 ?
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]
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.
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
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 ?
The printing press is the most powerful engine of progress and public opinion and a force that will sweep despotism away.'
Why did people in the eighteenth century Europe think that print culture would bring enlightenment and end despotism? [CBSE 2011]
Who was the major producer of printed material in China ? For what purpose this material was used ?
"Woodblock print came to Europe after 1295". Give any three reasons to explain the above statement. [CBSE Sept. 2010]
Explain any three features of handwritten manuscripts before the age of print in India. [CBSE Sept. 2010. 2011. 2012. 2013]