NCERT Solutions for Class 10 History Chapter 5 Print Culture and the Modern World
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 History Chapter 5 covers First Printed Books, Print Revolution in Europe, Reading Mania, Print Culture and French Revolution, Print Comes to India, Religious Reform and Public Debates, and Censorship Laws.
Overview of Topics & Subtopics (Click to Jump)
1. The First Printed Books & Gutenberg Press
Short Note:
• Woodblock Printing: Hand-printing technology invented in China, Japan, and Korea. The oldest Japanese book printed in 868 AD was the Diamond Sutra.
• Marco Polo: Brought woodblock printing technology from China back to Italy in 1295.
• Gutenberg's Printing Press: Johann Gutenberg of Strasbourg, Germany developed the first mechanical printing press in the 1430s using movable metal type. The first book printed was the Bible.
2. Print Revolution & Reading Mania in Europe
Short Note:
• Print Revolution: Transformed society by reducing book production costs, making reading accessible to a wider public, and changing how people processed knowledge.
• Religious Debates: Martin Luther wrote Ninety-Five Theses (1517) criticizing Catholic Church practices, leading to the Protestant Reformation. Luther praised print as "the ultimate gift of God".
• Enlightenment & French Revolution: Print popularized the writings of thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau, creating a culture of debate that questioned despotic royal authority.
3. Print Comes to India & Public Debates
Short Note:
• Arrival of Press in India: Brought to Goa by Portuguese missionaries in mid-16th century. James Augustus Hickey published the first weekly newspaper, Bengal Gazette, in 1780.
• Religious Reforms: Raja Rammohan Roy published Sambad Kaumudi (1821); Hindu conservatives countered with Samachar Chandrika. Muslim scholars printed fatwas using lithographic presses.
• Vernacular Newspapers: Deoband Seminary issued thousands of fatwas; news appeared in regional languages across Bengal, Punjab, and Maharashtra.
4. Women, Poor & Vernacular Print Censorship
Short Note:
• Women Authors: Rashsundari Debi wrote her autobiography Amar Jiban (1876) secretly in Bengali. Kailashbashini Debi wrote about women's domestic suffering. Tarabai Shinde and Pandita Ramabai wrote critically about caste and gender oppressions.
• Caste Reforms: Jyotirao Phule wrote Gulamgiri (1871) against caste injustice. E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar) and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar wrote passionately against untouchability.
• Vernacular Press Act (1878): Passed by the British government to censor vernacular newspapers, modeled on the Irish Press Laws.
Intext & Conceptual Questions
2. His translation of the New Testament sold thousands of copies within weeks, allowing common people to read religious texts independently.
3. It sparked the Protestant Reformation and successfully challenged the rigid authority of the Roman Catholic Church.
2. When a report was judged seditious, the newspaper was warned; failure to comply led to the seizure of the press and machinery.
3. It aimed to suppress growing nationalist criticism of British rule.
Textbook Chapter End Exercise Questions
1. Woodblock printing was developed in China in the 6th century.
2. In 1295, Marco Polo, a great Italian explorer, returned to Italy after spending many years exploring China.
3. He carried the knowledge and technology of woodblock printing back with him, leading to its spread in Europe.
1. Exposing Colonial Misrule: Vernacular newspapers reported on colonial repression, economic exploitation, and misgovernment.
2. Connecting Regions: Ideas written in one region reached readers in distant parts of the country, building a shared sense of national identity.
3. Mobilizing Public Opinion: Leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak (through his paper Kesari) mobilized public support for Swaraj and nationalist protests.
1. Increase in Literacy: Liberal husbands and fathers began educating women at home and sending them to newly formed women's schools.
2. Self-Expression: Women started writing autobiographies, essays, and stories about their own lives and domestic struggles (e.g., Rashsundari Debi's Amar Jiban).
3. Dedicated Journals: Journals written by and for women featured topics on education, housekeeping, child care, and women's rights.
Read More & Chapter Resources
These short notes are designed for quick revision. Read the main points once, then use the related material below to practise the same chapter. Revising a concept and checking it with questions can make your preparation more focused.