Print Culture and the Modern World AP 10th Class Social History 5th Lesson
Question 1.
Give reasons for the following?
- Woodblock print only came to Europe after 1295
- Martin Luther was in favour of print and spoke out in praise of it
- The Roman Catholic Church began keeping an Index of prohibited books from the mid - sixteenth century
- Gandhi said the fight for Swaraj is a fight for liberty of speech, liberty of the press and freedom of association
Answer:
- Woodblock print was invented around the sixth century in China. It came to Europe, along with Marco Polo, in 1295. Marco Polo returned to Italy after many years of exploration in China, and he brought the knowledge of woodblock print with him on his return
- Martin Luther was in favour of print and spoke out in praise of it because print media helped popularise and spread his ideas. In 1571, he wrote the Ninety Five Theses, criticising the practices and rituals of the Roman Catholic Church. These writings were immediately reproduced in vast numbers and read widely. His translation of the New Testament was also accepted and read by thousands. This was only possible due to the improvements in print technology which had allowed even the^working classes to gain access to books
- The Roman Catholic Church began keeping an index of prohibited books from the mid-sixteenth century because its authority was being put in danger by the several individual and distinctive readings and questionings of faith prompted by the easily accessible popular religious literature. To supplement its inquisition and repression of heretical ideas, the Roman Catholic Church exercised strict control over publishers and booksellers, and also began to keep an Index of Prohibited Books from 1558
- Gandhi said the fight for Swaraj is a fight for liberty of speech, liberty of the press, and freedom of association because the considered these to be powerful modes of expression and cultivation of public opinion. The denial of these freedoms was not compatible with the idea of self rule and independence. Hence, the fight for these freedoms, according to him, was intrinsically a fight for swaraj or self rule
Question 2.
Write short notes to show what you know about?
- The Gutenberg Press
- Erasmuss idea of the printed book
- The Vernacular Press Act
Answer:
- The Gutenberg Press : It was established by Johann Gutenberg. By 1448, he had perfected the system of printing with olive and wine presses, using contemporary technological innovations. The first book that he printed was the Bible, making 180 copies in 3 years. Although these books were printed, a unique touch remained in the handmade decorations of the front page, illuminated borders and purchaser- specified designs. The Gutenberg ^ress was the first-known printing press in the 1430s
- Erasmuss idea of the printed book: He was critical of the print medium. He believed that though some books do provide worthwhile knowledge, othes are simply a bane for scholarship. Erasmus accused printers of publishing books that were not mere trifling but "stupid, slanderous, scandalous, raving, irreligious and seditious". He also felt that large numbes of such books reduce the value of the quality writings
- The Vernacular Press Act: Modelled on the Irish Pre§s Laws, it was passed in 1878. This law gave the government tyrannical rights to consor reports and editorials in the vernacular press. If a seditious report was published and the newspaper did not heed to an initial warning, then the press was seized and the printing machinery confiscated. This was a complete violation of the freedom of expression
Question 3.
What did the spread of print culture in nineteenth century India mean to?
- Women
- The poor
- Reformers
Answer:
- a) Women :
- The spread of print culture in nineteenth-century India brought about educational reforms for women
- Liberal husbands and fathers educated their womenfolk at home or sent them to schools for women
- Women who had been restricted to a domestic life for generations, now found a new medium of entertainment
- They also began to write articles for journals, in favour of womens education and . literacy
- Some even wrote books; Rashsundari Devis autobiography "Amar Jiban" was the first full-length autobiography, published in 1876
- Conservatives believed that education and reading would make women widows, or corrupt them
- Many women learnt to read and write in secret in such traditionalist environments
- b) The Poor:
- They benefited from the spread of print culture in India on account of the availability of low-price books and public libraries
- Enlightening essays were written against caste discrimination and its inherent injustices
- These were read by people across the country
- On the encouragement and support of social reformers, over-worked factory workers set up libraries for self-education, and some of them even published their own works, for example, Kashibaba and his "Chhote Aur Bade Sawal."
- c) Reformers:
- Print cultures popularity was an advantage for social and religious reformers as they could now spread their opinions, through newspapers and books, across the masses
- These ideas could then be debated upon by different groups of people
- Reformist ideas were put forward in the local, everyday languages of the common people so as to create a wider platform for the same
DISCUSS
Question 1.
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 thought that print culture would bring enlightenment and end despotism. Its easy and cheap availability meant that literacy; would no longer be restricted to the upper classes. While the clergy and monarchs feared the enlightenment that a vast reading public would gain, reformers like Martin Luther welcomed the change. They felt that it would mark an end to the blind adherence to the rulers ideology. This can be seen in the French Revolution as well. The print medium allowed the ideals of freedom, equality and brotherhood set forth by Rousseau and Voltaire in their writings to reach the public. It created a new culture of dialogue and debate that initiated the working class into questioning and re-evaluating social customs and norms. The power of reason that the public gained initiated social reform, and brought an end to despotism
Question 2.
Why did some people fear the effect of easily available printed books ? Choose one example from Europe and one from India?
Answer:
The people who feared the effect of easily available printed books were the ones who held some power, whether in terms of religion, caste, class or politics. The fear was that their power and authority would get eroded if ideas questioning their power and authority gained mass popularity. In Europe, for example, the Roman Catholic Church conveyed its sense of apprehension for the print medium by stating that the promotion of new "printed" radings of faith would lead to blasphemous questionings of faith and encourage heretical ideas. It considered itself to be the sole authority for interpreting religion. Hence, it set up the Index of Prohibited Books in 1558 to repress any published material that it felt corroded this authority
In India, apart from the colonial government which did its bit in regulating and suppressing newspapers and books that questioned and criticised colonial authority, the religious leaders and the upper castes also displayed their fear of the print medium. They understood that their religious and social superiority was in danger due to the easily accessible "printed" ideas contradicting their systems of beliefs. They knew that the popularisation of such ideas would incite poeple to rebellion
Question3.
What were the effects of the spread of the print culture for poor people in nineteenth century India ?
Answer:
The poor people benefited from the spread of print culture in India on account of the availability of low-price books and public libraries. Enlightening essays were written against caste discrimination and its inherent injustices. These were read by people across the country. On the encouragement and support of social reformers, over-worked factory workers set up libraries for self-education, and some of them even published their own works, for example, Kashibaba and his "Choote Aur Bade Ka SawaT
Question 4.
Explain how print culture assisted the growth of nationalism in India?
Answer:
Print culture assisted the growth of nationalism in India by providing easy access to nationalist ideals and ideas of freedom and equality to the masses. Social reformers could now print their opinions in newspapers, which sparked off public debates. The pbwer of reason made the common people question the authority of colonial power. Interestingly, when the British tried to censor and control print media, nationalist newspapers grew in number everywhere in the country. They reported on colonial misrule and encouraged people to participate in nationalist activities. Attempts to censor anti-colonial publications aroused militant protests as well
PROJECT
Question 1.
Find out more about the changes in print technology in the last 100 years. Write about the changes, explaining why they have taken place, what their consequences have been?
Answer:
Eighteenth century innovations :
At the end of the eighteenth century, there were several remarkable innovations in the graphic techniques and those that were utilized to make their materials. Bewick developed the method of using engraving tools on the end of the wood. Senefelder discovered lithography. Blake made relief etchings
Nineteenth century innovations:
Early in the nineteenth century Stanhope, George E. Clymer, Koening and others introduced new kinds of type presses, which for strength surpassed anything that had previously been known.
Bryan Donkin developed a comercial application of Fourdrinier machine and invented the composition roller
Twentieth century innovation :
Books and newspaper are printed using the technique of offset lithography. Other common techniques include Flexography used for packaging, labels, newspaper.
Relief print, (mainly used for catalogues),
Screen printing From T - shirt tcrfloor tiles.
Rotogravure mainly used for magazines and packaging.
Inkjet used typically to print a small number of books or packaging, and also to print a variety of material from high quality papers stimulate offset printing floor tiles; Inkjet is also used to apply mailing addresses to direct mail pieces.
Laser printing mainly used in office transactional printing (bills, bank documents printing is commonly used by direct mail compound to create variable data letters or coupons, etc
Gravure : For gravure printing, the image to be printed is made up of small holes sunk into the surface of the printing plate. The cells are filled with ink and the excess is scraped off the surface. Then a rubber - covered roller presses paper into the surface, of the plate and into contact with the ink in the cells. The printing plates are usually made from copper and may be produced by engraving etching. Gravure printing is used for long, high - quality print runs such as magazines, mail - order catalogues, packaging, and printing onto fabric and wallpaper. It is also used for printing postage stamps and decorative plastic laminates such as kitchen worktops
Digital Printing : Printing at home or in an office or engineering environment is subdivided into:
Small fornlat (up to ledger size paper sheets), as used in business offices and libraries. Wide format (up to 3 or 914 m wide rolls of paper), as used in drafting and design establishments
AP 10th Class Social History 5th Lesson InText Questions and Answers Print Culture and the Modern World
ACTIVITY
Question 1.
Imagine that you are Marco Polo. Write a letter from China to describe the world of print which you have seen there?
Answer:
Dear Sir,
Hello sir hope your fine, I am fine. I am mainly writing this letter to tell you that now presently I am in China and I want to tell you about the world of print I have seen its really good, some of the important things I want to tell you is people living here have started printing it is a wonderful technique with which we can take copies of different hand written things which would also help in knowing about all things happening in our place, and get educated about them.
I hope the people of our kingdom would also try these.
Yours obediently.
Marco Polo
ACTIVITY
Question 1.
You are a bookseller advertising the availability of new cheap printed books. Design a poster for your shop window?
Answer:
ACTIVITY
Question 1.
Imagine that you are a cartoonist in France before the revolution. Design a cartoon as it would have appeared in a pamphlet?
Answer:
ACTIVITY
Question 1.
Look at Figure 13 What impact do such advertisements have on the public mind ? Do you think everyone reacts to printed material in the same way?
Answer:
Such advertisements influence peoples minds immensely. They divert their thoughts and provoke them to buy the advertised products. No everyone does not react to printed material in the same way
ACTIVITY
Look at Figs. 19, 20 and 21 carefully
Question 1.
What comments are the artists making on the social changes taking place in society ?
Answer:
In Figure 19, a man is dominated by his wife, and he is dominating his mother. Artist comments that tradition of mother-in-law dominating the daughter-in-law through her son has reversed, due to the new social changes taking place.
In Figure 20, the role between men and women is reversed. As women enjoys Hooka and a man plays Veena in order to entertain his wife.
In Figure 21, artist sends a message that social changes do not affect the English families
Question 2.
What change in society were taking place to provoke this reaction ?
Answer:
The change such as empowerment and upliftment of women through western education were occurring in the society. These changes provoked artists to depict such images of families in India
Question 3.
Do you agree with the artists view?
Answer:
According to me, artists view in the illustrations 19, 20, 21 are more extreme than the actual situation. They are partially out of focus or over assumed. The artist could have been moderate in their comments on the social changes taking place in Indian society
DISCUSS
Question 1.
Write briefly why some people feared that the development of print could lead to the growth of dissenting ideas?
Answer:
Print and popular religious literature stimulated many distinctive interpretations. Some people feared that the development of print would spread dissenting ideas. Martin Luther was a religious reformer. In 1517 he wrote Ninety Five Theses criticising most of the practices and rituals of the Roman Catholic Church. They were read widely and led to a division in the Church. Luthers translation of the New Testament was received well by the people. It sold 5000 copies within a few weeks. Its second edition appeared within three months. Luther was deeply grateful to print. He said, "Printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one. Thus, printing brought about a new intellectual atmosphere and helped spread the new ideas that led to the Reformation
Question2.
Write a note on Menocchio?
Answer:
Menocchio was a miller in Italy. He read books available in his locality. He reinterpreted the message of the Bible. He formulated a view of God and creation. His views enraged the Roman Catholic Church. Menocchio was executed for spreading heretical ideas, which were considered a threat to the right of the church. As a result, the Roman Church imposed severe controls over publishers and booksellers. It began to maintain an index of prohibited books from 1558
DISCUSS
Question 2.
Why do some historians think that print culture created the basis for the French Revolution ?
Answer:
By the mid eighteenth century, the common conviction was that books were a means of spreading progress and enlightenment. France declared. The printing press is the most powerful engine of progress and public opinion, is the force that will sweep depotism avfay. Mercier was convinced of the power of print in bringing enlightenment and destroying the basis of despotism. He proclaimed, "Tremble, therefore, tyrants of the world ! Tremble before the virtual writer !"
The writings of the enlightenment thinkers provided a critical commentary on tradition, superstition and despotism. They argued for the rule of reason but not custom. They demanded that everything should be judged through the application of reason and rationality. They attacked the authority of the church. The writings of Voltaire and Rousseau made the people see the world through new eyes. Their approach was questioning, critical and rational
Print created a new culture of dialogue and debate. People became aware of the power of reason. They recognised the need to question the existing ideas and beliefs. New ideas of social revolution came into being within the public culture. All values, norms and institutions were reevaluated and discussed by the public.
The vast literature mocked the royalty and criticised their morality by the 1780s. It raised questions about the existing social order. The monarchy was absorbed in sensual pleasures. The common people suffered many hardships. As a result they developed hostile sentiments against the monarchy. That was why many historians argued that print culture created conditions for revolutionary thinking. It became, one way, the basis for the French Revolution. The opinion of the historians too was the same
Print helped the spread of ideas. People read the ideas of Voltaire and Rousseau. They did not read only one kind of literature. They were also exposed to monarchical and church propaganda. They were not totally influenced by what they read or saw. They accepted some ideas and rejected others. They interpreted things in their own way. Print did not entirely shape their minds. It opened up the possibility of thinking differently