History

Print Culture and the Modern World

Question:

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]

Answer:

(i) India had a very rich and old tradition of handwritten manuscripts – in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, as well as in various vernacular languages. Manuscripts were copied on palm leaves or on handmade paper. Pages were sometimes beautifully illustrated. They would be either pressed between wooden covers or sewn together to ensure preservation.
(ii) Manuscripts continued to be produced till well after the introduction of print, down to the late nineteenth century.
Beginning (coming) of print technology in India.
(i) The printing press first came to Goa with Portuguese missionaries in the mid-sixteenth century. Jesuit priests learnt Konkani and printed several tracts. By 1674, about 50 books had been printed in the Konkani and in Kanara languages.
(ii)The Catholic priests printed the first Tamil book in 1579 at Cochin, and in 1713, the first Malayalam book was printed by them.
(iii) By 1710, Dutch Protestant missionaries had printed 32 Tamil texts, many of them were translations of older works.

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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.

Which material was used to print pictures in Japan?

Q 3.

What were Biliotheque Blue ?

Q 4.

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 5.

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

Q 6.

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

Q 7.

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 8.

Who said "Printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one ? ] [CBSE 2010. 11, 12]

Q 9.

What is calligraphy?

Q 10.

How was sale of books promoted in small towns?

Q 11.

What is manuscript ?

Q 12.

Write a brief note on Martin Luther.

Q 13.

Who started publishing Sambad Kaumudi from 1821?

Q 14.

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

Q 15.

What was Vernacular Press Act ? (CBSE 2014)

Q 16.

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

Q 17.

’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 18.

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 19.

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

Q 20.

Name two scholars whose writings inspired French people.

Q 21.

Who printed the first Tamil book ?

Q 22.

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

Q 23.

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

Q 24.

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

Q 25.

What medium was used for writing ancient Indian scriptures?

Q 26.

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

Q 27.

Name any four languages in which Indian manuscript was prepared before the age of print.

Q 28.

Who wrote Gulamgiri ? (CBSE 2014)

Q 29.

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 30.

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

Q 31.

Who was Marco Polo?

Q 32.

Who invented the letter press?

Q 33.

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

Q 34.

What were Chap books ? (CBSE 2014)

Q 35.

When did the first printing press come to India?

Q 36.

Analyse the impact of print revolution on religion. [CJBS £ 2012]

Q 37.

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 38.

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]

Q 39.

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

Q 40.

How did the print media affect the women in India?

Q 41.

"Oral culture and print culture were complimentary to each other”. Justify the statement with any three suitable arguments. [CBSE 2013]

Q 42.

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]

Q 43.

What is calligraphy ?

Q 44.

Which is the oldest book to be printed in Japan ?

Q 45.

Who developed the first printing press ?

Q 46.

Name the first book published by Johann Guttenbcrg.

Q 47.

What was print revolution ?

Q 48.

Who was Martin Luther ?

Q 49.

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 50.

Who was the author of Amar Jiban ?