1.
How had the Imperial State in China been the major producer of
printed material for a long time? Explain with examples.
i) Printing for Civil Service Exams: The Chinese imperial state
produced a large amount of printed material to support its civil
service exams, which recruited government officials. As more
people took these exams in the sixteenth century, the demand for
printed textbooks increased.
ii) Expanded Use of Print in Daily Life: By the seventeenth century, as
cities grew, print became popular beyond just official purposes.
Merchants used it for trade, and people started reading for
pleasure. Stories, poetry, and plays became popular, and even
wealthy women began reading and publishing their own writings.
iii) New Printing Technology: In the late nineteenth century, Western
printing machines were introduced in China, especially in
Shanghai. This brought a shift from hand printing to mechanical
printing, which helped expand access to printed materials,
especially in Western-style schools.
2. Through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries literacy rates
went up in most parts of Europe. Justify the statement ?
i)Expansion of Schools: Churches across Europe set up schools, especially in
villages, which made literacy more accessible to peasants and artisans. This
widespread access contributed to increased literacy rates, reaching as high
as 60 to 80 percent by the end of the eighteenth century in some regions.
ii) Growth of Popular Literature: The demand for reading material led to
the production of affordable books, such as almanacs, ballads, and
folktales. Booksellers employed pedlars to sell these inexpensive
publications in villages, making reading materials accessible to a wider
audience, including those of lower income.
iii) Spread of Scientific and Philosophical Ideas: The rise of the periodical
press and the publication of scientific and philosophical works, such as
those by Newton, Paine, and Rousseau, made new ideas available to
common readers. This access encouraged a culture of learning and
curiosity, further fueling literacy and intellectual engagement among the
general population.
3. Did print culture create the favorable condition for the French
Revolution ? Explain.
Print culture created the favorable conditions for the French
Revolution. It is classified through the following arguments–
i) Print helped spread the ideas of Enlightenment
thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau, who criticized
tradition, superstition, and despotism. Their writings
promoted reason over custom and questioned the
authority of the Church and the monarchy,
challenging the traditional social order.
ii) ii) Print created a new public space for discussion,
where people debated and questioned existing values
and institutions. This led to the development of
revolutionary ideas, as people began to demand
social change and question the old system.
iii) iii) Printed materials, including cartoons and satire,
mocked the royalty and showed how they ignored the
suffering of the common people. This literature
spread secretly, increasing anger towards the
monarchy and fueling revolutionary feelings.
4. In the nineteenth century, printing technique underwent various
innovations. What were those changes?
In the nineteenth century, printing technology underwent significant
advancements that transformed the printing. Here are some key
developments that shaped printing during this time.
i) Metal Printing Presses: By the late eighteenth century,
presses were made from metal, which paved the way for
further advancements.
ii) ii) New Technology in Printing: New printing techniques
emerged, including the power-driven cylindrical press by
Richard M. Hoe, which printed thousands of sheets per hour
and was ideal for newspapers. Later, the offset press allowed
for multi-color printing, while electrically operated presses in
the early 1900s increased speed and quality.
iii) iii) New Publishing and Marketing Strategies: Publishers
serialized novels in magazines to attract readers, introduced
cheap "Shilling Series" editions, and added dust covers to
books.
5. How had many new readers among children, women, and workers
increased in nineteenth century Europe ? Explain.
i) Education and Children's Literature: Compulsory
primary education in the late 1800s made children
important readers. Publishers began creating
textbooks and children's books, including fairy tales
and folk tales, though these stories were edited to
remove anything unsuitable.
ii) ii)Preserving and Changing Stories: Folk tales collected
by people like the Grimm Brothers were published in
new forms, blending old traditions with changes made
by editors.
iii) Women as Readers and Writers: Women became key
readers and writers in the 19th century. Magazines
and novels targeted them, with famous authors like
Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters shaping the idea of
strong, independent women.
iv) Lending Libraries: Libraries helped educate workers,
artisans, and middle-class people. They became
places where people could borrow books and learn
new things.
v) Workers Writing Their Stories: As workers got more
free time in the 19th century, they used it to learn and
write. Many shared their life experiences and ideas
through autobiographies and political writings.
6. Explain the role of print in the religious reforms in India.
) Spread of New Ideas: Print helped social and religious reformers
share their ideas and debate with traditional Hindu beliefs on issues
like widow immolation and idol worship.Newspapers and tracts
were printed in everyday language to reach a wider audience.
ii) Broadened Participation: By making these ideas accessible in
everyday languages, print enabled a wider public to engage in
religious discussions, giving a voice to more people beyond the
traditional elite.
iii)Platform for debate and discussion : Print media allowed intense
religious and social debates, particularly between reformers (like
Rammohun Roy) and orthodox groups, to be circulated widely,
which fostered an environment of public discourse.
iv) Mode of connecting with masses for Religious Communities:
Muslim and Hindu groups used print to promote religious teachings,
with Muslim scholars printing translations and issuing fatwas, while
Hindus published religious texts, making them more accessible and
portable for everyday reading.
v) Fostering Pan-Indian Identities: Newspapers connected
communities across regions, creating a sense of shared identity
among people throughout India, uniting diverse groups in shared
debates and concerns about religion and society.
7. How did censorship and the control of the press evolve under
British colonial rule in India?
●Early Censorship (Pre-1798): Before 1798, the British East India
Company was mainly concerned with controlling criticisms from
Englishmen in India, fearing these could harm its trade monopoly in
England.
● Regulations in the 1820s: By the 1820s, the Calcutta Supreme
Court began regulating the press, and the Company started
encouraging newspapers that supported British rule in India.
● Macaulay's Reforms (1835): In 1835, Governor-General Bentinck,
influenced by petitions, revised the press laws, restoring more
freedoms under Thomas Macaulay's liberal policies.
● Vernacular Press Act in 1878: After the 1857 revolt, the colonial
government cracked down on the nationalist vernacular press,
passing the Vernacular Press Act in 1878, which allowed extensive
censorship of reports and editorials.
● Nationalist Press Growth and Resistance: Despite heavy
censorship, nationalist newspapers grew, reporting on colonial
misrule and encouraging protests, such as the case with
Balgangadhar Tilak, whose imprisonment led to widespread protests
across India.
