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Exercise Questions/Answers of NCERT class 10th
Q.1 Give reasons for the following:
a) Woodblock print only came to Europe after 1295.
Answer: Woodblock print came to Europe only after 1295 because Europeans came to know about this printing technique after Marco Polo returned from China in that year. He introduced the knowledge of woodblock printing in Europe.
b) Martin Luther was in favour of print and spoke out in praise of it
Answer: Martin Luther was in favour of print because it helped him spread his ideas and criticisms of the Catholic Church to a large number of people quickly. Through printed books and pamphlets, his views reached common people, which increased their impact.
c) The Roman Catholic Church began keeping an Index of Prohibited books from the mid-sixteenth century
Answer: The Roman Catholic Church began keeping an Index of Prohibited Books from the mid-sixteenth century because it feared that printed books could spread ideas that criticised Church beliefs and authority. By banning such books, the Church tried to control the spread of unwanted and heretical ideas.
d) Gandhi said the fight for Swaraj is a fight for liberty of speech, liberty of the press, and freedom of association
Answer: Gandhi said that the fight for Swaraj was a fight for liberty of speech, liberty of the press, and freedom of association because these freedoms were necessary for people to express their views, spread nationalist ideas, and organise movements against British rule. Without these freedoms, real self-rule was not possible.
Q.2 Write short notes to show what you know about:
a) The Gutenberg Press
Answer: The Gutenberg Press was developed by Johann Gutenberg in Germany in the 1440s. It was the first printing press to use movable metal types. This made printing faster and cheaper than hand-written books. The first major book printed using this press was the Bible. The Gutenberg Press played an important role in spreading books and knowledge among a large number of people.
b) Erasmus’s idea of the printed book
Answer: Erasmus was a Catholic reformer who supported the use of print for spreading knowledge. He believed that printed books helped in sharing learning and new ideas among people. However, he was also worried about the misuse of print. According to him, careless printing could spread wrong and harmful ideas, due to which even valuable books might lose their importance. Therefore, he felt that printed books should be used carefully and responsibly.
c) The Vernacular Press Act
Answer: The Vernacular Press Act was passed by the British government in 1878 to control Indian-language newspapers. This law gave the government power to censor reports and editorials. Newspapers that criticised British policies could be punished or closed down. The Act was used to suppress nationalist ideas and limit freedom of the press in India.
Q.3 What did the spread of print culture in nineteenth century India mean to:
a) Women
Answer: The spread of print culture in nineteenth-century India helped women to become educated and aware. Many books and journals were written especially for women. They discussed issues like women’s education, child marriage, and social reforms. Reading and writing helped women express their views and participate in social change.
b) The poor
Answer: The spread of print culture made reading material cheaper and more accessible to the poor. Cheap books, pamphlets, and newspapers were produced in large numbers. These helped poor people learn about social issues and government policies. Print culture gave them a way to understand their rights and conditions.
c) Reformers
Answer: Print culture helped reformers spread their ideas to a large number of people. Reformers used newspapers, books, and pamphlets to criticise social evils like caste discrimination and superstition. Print helped create public awareness and support for social reforms. It also allowed reformers to debate and discuss ideas openly.
Q.4 Why did some people in eighteenth century Europe think that print culture would bring enlightenment and end despotism?
Answer: Some people in eighteenth-century Europe believed that print culture would bring enlightenment because it spread knowledge, ideas, and reason among a large number of people. Printed books helped people read, think independently, and question superstition and blind beliefs. They felt that an informed society would challenge the absolute power of rulers and oppose despotism, leading to a more free and enlightened society.
For example, the writings of thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau were widely read and criticised absolute monarchy and social inequalities. People believed that such ideas would help end despotism and promote freedom and equality.
Q.5 Why did some people fear the effect of easily available printed books? Choose one example
from Europe and one from India.
Answer: Printed books were feared because their easy availability could have different effects on society. On one hand, print made people aware of new and critical ideas and encouraged them to question authority. On the other hand, many believed that printed material could mislead common people by spreading wrong or careless ideas. It was also feared that print could divide society by creating differences of opinion and conflicts among people. In Europe, the Roman Catholic Church tried to control such effects by maintaining an Index of Prohibited Books. In India, the British government introduced laws like the Vernacular Press Act to control the influence of print.
Q.6 What were the effects of the spread of print culture for poor people in nineteenth century India?
Answer: i) The spread of print culture made books, pamphlets, and newspapers cheaper and more easily available to poor people.
ii) Poor people gained access to information about social issues, government policies, and their rights.
iii) Some writers wrote about the lives and problems of workers and peasants, which created awareness among the poor.
iv) Print helped poor people understand their conditions better and encouraged social thinking.
v) It gave them a voice by highlighting their problems before the wider public.
Q.7 Explain how print culture assisted the growth of nationalism in India.
Answer: Print culture helped the growth of nationalism in India by spreading national ideas among people. Newspapers, books, and pamphlets made people aware of British injustice and united them against colonial rule.
It assisted nationalism in the following ways:
i) Print helped people to learn about new and different ideas, which created a sense of unity and strengthened the national movement.
ii) Newspapers criticised British policies and exposed their unfair rule. For example: Newspapers like Kesari (edited by Bal Gangadhar Tilak) spread nationalist ideas and criticised British policies.
iii) National leaders used print to spread nationalist ideas. M.K. Gandhi used journals such as Young India and Navajivan to spread the message of freedom and truth.
iv) Vernacular newspapers reached common people in their own languages and increased political awareness.
v) Print helped people share common problems and experiences. For example, newspapers carried reports of the problems of peasants and workers, which helped people realise that they shared similar experiences.
Note: Answering styles vary with different perspectives. Some write in paragraphs, others prefer point-wise formats. Choose your own way of writing, but make sure your answers include the required examples and highlight important points first. This flexibility helps you present your answers more clearly and effectively!
