Long Answer -Class 10 – Social Science – History -Chapter 5: Print Culture and Modern World

Class 10 – Social Science – History -Long Answer -Chapter 5: Print Culture and Modern World

Q1. How did the print bring the reading public and hearing public closer? Ans : Earlier the society was divided into the oral culture and reading culture. The common people had the oral culture while only the rich people had the reading culture.

The common people heard the texts collectively which were read out or recited or narrated to them. The reading culture was only limited to the elites and they only read the books individually and silently.

The reason behind this culture may be the books were expensive, produced less in numbers and also the literacy rate was very low in most of the European countries.

To solve the problem of illiteracy as a barrier in the wider reach of the printed books, the popular ballads and folk tales beautifully illustrated with pictures were published which were sung and recited in the village gatherings and the taverns in towns.

Hence the line separating the oral culture and the reading culture started becoming blurred.

Q2. Explain any three reasons which created a large number of new readers in the nineteenth century.

Ans : Three reasons which created a large number of new readers in the nineteenth century were:

a. During this period the literacy increased which increased the number of readers among the children, women and workers.

b. Primary education was made compulsory and hence the children became the important section of readers. The publishing industries started producing the school textbooks. In the year 1857, a children’s press was set up in France for publishing the literature for children only which published the new works along with the old fairy and folk tales.

 c. Technique of lending libraries to educate white collar workers in Europe during the 19th century.

d. Women became the important readers as well as writers. For women readers especially there was penny magazines.

Q3. How did a new reading public emerge with the printing press? Explain. 

Ans : a. The introduction of printing press brought the following changes – a new culture of reading emerged, cost of the books came down, reduced the time and labour engaged in publishing, produced multiple copies and the market got flooded with books.

b. Earlier, the society was divided into the oral culture and reading culture. The common people had the oral culture while only the rich people had the reading culture,

c. The common people heard the texts collectively which were read out or recited or narrated to them.

 d. The reading culture was only limited upto the elites and they only read the books individually and silently. The reason behind this culture may be the books were expensive, produced less in numbers and also the literacy rate was very low in most of the European countries.

e. To solve the problem of illiteracy as a bander j in the wider reach of the printed books, the popular ballads and folk tales beautifully illustrated with pictures were published which were sung and recited in the village gatherings and the taverns in towns. Hence the line separating the oral culture and the reading culture started becoming blurred.

Q4. How had the earliest printing technology developed in the world? Explain with examples.

 Ans :The development of the earliest printing technology can be traced as follows:

 a. In the beginning the system of hand printing was developed in China, Japan and Korea.

 b. The wood block printing was developed in China. In this technology the books were printed by rubbing the paper against the surface of the woodblocks.

c. The volume of the print increased in China due to the increase in the number of candidates in the civil services exam through which the candidates were recruited in the huge bureaucratic system.

d. 17th century urbanization in China also diversified the use of print in China. The scholar officials, merchants, rich women, wives and courtesans started the use of print.

e. The western printing techniques and mechanical presses reached the outpost of China and thus Shanghai became the hub of this new print culture.