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Questions and Answers
Questions and Answers
Which country was known for producing printed matter on a large scale, initially for civil service examinations, in the sixteenth century?
Which country was known for producing printed matter on a large scale, initially for civil service examinations, in the sixteenth century?
- Italy
- Korea
- Japan
- China (correct)
In the eleventh century, Chinese paper reached Europe via the Silk Route.
In the eleventh century, Chinese paper reached Europe via the Silk Route.
True (A)
Why couldn't the production of handwritten manuscripts satisfy the increasing demand for books?
Why couldn't the production of handwritten manuscripts satisfy the increasing demand for books?
Copying was expensive and laborious, manuscripts were fragile and difficult to handle, and they were not easily carried around or read.
Johann Gutenberg developed the first-known printing press in the ______.
Johann Gutenberg developed the first-known printing press in the ______.
The Buddhist Diamond Sutra, printed in 868 AD, is considered the oldest Chinese book.
The Buddhist Diamond Sutra, printed in 868 AD, is considered the oldest Chinese book.
What was the base model for Gutenberg's printing press, inspired by his upbringing on farms?
What was the base model for Gutenberg's printing press, inspired by his upbringing on farms?
What was the significance of Martin Luther's ninety-five Theses being posted on a church's door in Wittenberg?
What was the significance of Martin Luther's ninety-five Theses being posted on a church's door in Wittenberg?
From 1558, the Church maintained the Prohibited Books' Index to gain control over publishers and ______.
From 1558, the Church maintained the Prohibited Books' Index to gain control over publishers and ______.
Who introduced woodblock printing to Italy in 1295, leading to its spread across Europe?
Who introduced woodblock printing to Italy in 1295, leading to its spread across Europe?
With the advent of the printing press, reading was initially restricted to a large population due to high book costs.
With the advent of the printing press, reading was initially restricted to a large population due to high book costs.
What were 'chapmen' and what role did they play in England during the 'Reading Mania' period?
What were 'chapmen' and what role did they play in England during the 'Reading Mania' period?
In France, 'Bibliotheque Bleue' referred to cheap books printed on low-quality paper, bound in ______ covers.
In France, 'Bibliotheque Bleue' referred to cheap books printed on low-quality paper, bound in ______ covers.
Which of these arguments connects print culture to the French Revolution by stating it popularized the ideas of great thinkers who criticized tradition and despotism?
Which of these arguments connects print culture to the French Revolution by stating it popularized the ideas of great thinkers who criticized tradition and despotism?
Books for children became a less prominent feature of society during the Nineteenth Century as primary education was not compulsory.
Books for children became a less prominent feature of society during the Nineteenth Century as primary education was not compulsory.
Why did publishers in the 1930s bring out cheap paperback editions of books?
Why did publishers in the 1930s bring out cheap paperback editions of books?
In India, manuscripts before the age of print were often copied on palm leaves or on ______ paper.
In India, manuscripts before the age of print were often copied on palm leaves or on ______ paper.
Who was the first Indian woman to write a full-length autobiography, named 'Amar Jiban', published in 1876?
Who was the first Indian woman to write a full-length autobiography, named 'Amar Jiban', published in 1876?
Match the following individuals with their contributions to print culture or social reform:
Match the following individuals with their contributions to print culture or social reform:
Richard M. Hoe developed a power-driven cylindrical press capable of publishing 8000 sheets per hour, especially useful for magazines.
Richard M. Hoe developed a power-driven cylindrical press capable of publishing 8000 sheets per hour, especially useful for magazines.
Name the first weekly magazine in English language edited by James Augustus Hickey from 1780.
Name the first weekly magazine in English language edited by James Augustus Hickey from 1780.
Questions and Answers
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Flashcards
Flashcards
First Printed Books
First Printed Books
Hand printing was the initial form of printing, practiced in China, Japan, and Korea.
China's Print Culture (16th Century)
China's Print Culture (16th Century)
In the 16th century, China produced printed matter on a large scale, initially providing textbooks for civil service exams, later expanding to fictional stories, poetry, and trade information.
Buddhist Diamond Sutra
Buddhist Diamond Sutra
Printed in 868 AD, it is considered the oldest Japanese book.
Marco Polo and Woodblock Printing
Marco Polo and Woodblock Printing
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Manuscripts before Print
Manuscripts before Print
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Johann Gutenberg
Johann Gutenberg
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Gutenberg Bible
Gutenberg Bible
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New Reading Public
New Reading Public
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Print and Religious Debates
Print and Religious Debates
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Martin Luther and Print
Martin Luther and Print
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Prohibited Books' Index
Prohibited Books' Index
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Reading Mania
Reading Mania
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Chapmen and Chapbooks
Chapmen and Chapbooks
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Bibliothèque Bleue
Bibliothèque Bleue
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Print Culture and French Revolution
Print Culture and French Revolution
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Richard M. Hoe's Press
Richard M. Hoe's Press
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Shilling Series/Paperback Editions
Shilling Series/Paperback Editions
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Early Print in India
Early Print in India
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Rashsundari Debi
Rashsundari Debi
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Jyotiba Phule's Gulamgiri
Jyotiba Phule's Gulamgiri
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Flashcards
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Study Notes
Study Notes
The First Printed Books
- Printed matter is integral to modern life, but there was a time before its existence when information was shared differently.
- A gradual shift occurred from handwritten to printed matter with the invention of new machines and presses, deeply impacting people's lives.
- Hand printing started as the initial form of painting, practiced in China, Japan, and Korea.
Print in China
- In the sixteenth century, China extensively produced printed materials, initially comprising textbooks for civil service examinations.
- Over time, other printed materials like fictional stories, poetry, plays, and autobiographies became available, growing popular among the public.
- Traders widely used printed trade information.
Print in Japan
- Buddhist missionaries from China introduced hand printing to Japan between 768-770 A.D.
- The Buddhist Diamond Sutra, printed in 868 A.D., is recognized as the oldest Japanese book.
- Hand-printed materials were common in Japanese libraries and markets, including textbooks, prose, poetry, paintings, and various books on women, manners, etiquette, cooking, and flower arrangements.
Print Comes to Europe
- Chinese paper reached Europe via the Silk Route in the eleventh century.
- In 1295, explorer Marco Polo introduced woodblock printing to Italy, which then spread globally and became widely used for printing books, textiles, playing cards, and pictures.
- To meet the rising demand for books, booksellers employed scribes and skilled hand-writers.
- However, handwritten manuscripts could not keep up with the demand because copying was expensive, laborious, and time-consuming.
- Manuscripts were fragile, hard to handle, and not easily transported or read.
Gutenberg and the Printing Press
- Johann Gutenberg developed the first known printing press in the 1430s to find a quicker and cheaper way to reproduce books.
- Gutenberg, a master goldsmith, applied his knowledge of creating lead molds for trinkets and his experience with wine and olive presses to create the printing press.
- The olive press served as the base model for the printing press, and lead molds were used to cast alphabets.
- In 1448, Gutenberg printed his first book, the Bible, on the press.
- Publishers produced 180 copies of the Bible in three years, a remarkable speed for that era.
A New Reading Public
- Before the printing press, reading was limited due to expensive, low-production books, restricting access for ordinary people.
- The printing press emerged, creating a new reading public by reducing book costs and production time, making multiple copies easily available.
- The increased availability of books transformed the "hearing public" into a "reading public."
- Despite widespread availability, illiteracy was high among Europeans. Books on folk tales and ballads were printed with illustrations and often read aloud in public gatherings.
Religious Debates and the Fear of Print
- Traditional oral culture transmitted religious faiths and norms across generations, with people relying on the word of religious authorities.
- Illiteracy prevented many from reading and interpreting spiritual and sacred texts independently.
- The spread of print culture enabled people to read and interpret texts in their own ways, leading to concerns that uncontrolled printing could propagate rebellious and irreligious ideas.
- Martin Luther King, a religious reformer, criticized numerous practices and rituals of the Roman Catholic Church.
- A copy of his work was posted on a church door in Wittenberg, quickly spreading and selling 5,000 copies in a few weeks.
- The thesis significantly impacted readers, causing a division within the Church and leading to the Protestant Reformation.
- Martin Luther called print "the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one."
Print and Dissent
- The easy availability of printed materials profoundly influenced people's ideas and thoughts.
- Even those with limited reading and writing skills read religious texts and formed their own understandings.
- Menocchio, an Italian miller, read books in his community and developed interpretations of God and Creation that were deemed unacceptable by the Roman Catholic Church.
- Menocchio was publicly executed twice to deter others from questioning and criticizing the Roman Catholic Church.
- In 1558, the Church introduced the "Prohibited Books' Index" to control publishers and booksellers, aiming to suppress criticism and bolster faith.
The Reading Mania
- The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw a rise in European literacy rates, leading to increased book publications and a demand for diverse printed matter.
- English publishers hired "chapmen" (petty pedlars) to sell "penny chapbooks" to the poor in every corner of the country.
- In France, "Bibliotheque Bleue" were popular, cheap books printed on low-quality paper with blue covers.
- Newspapers, periodicals, and magazines also gained popularity from the early eighteenth century, providing people with news of national events.
Tremble, Therefore, Tyrants of the World
- By the mid-eighteenth century, books were widely recognized as tools for spreading progress and enlightenment.
- Louise-Sebastien Mercier, an 18th-century French novelist, declared the printing press the "most powerful engine of progress" and public opinion the "force that will sweep despotism away." He urged tyrants to "Tremble before the virtual writer!"
Print Culture and the French Revolution
- Historians argue that print culture contributed to the French Revolution through three main impacts.
- Print popularized the ideas of enlightened thinkers who critiqued tradition, superstition, and despotism, advocating for reason and rationality.
- Writings by Voltaire and Rousseau encouraged critical thinking, challenging the Church’s sacred authority and the state’s despotic power, thus eroding the traditional social order.
- Print fostered a new culture of dialogue and debate, where public reason led to questioning existing ideas and beliefs, sparking the concept of social revolution.
- By the 1780s, a large volume of literature satirized the monarchy and criticized its morality, raising questions about the social order.
Children, Women and Workers
- Books for children gained prominence, and publishers specialized in children's books as primary education became mandatory, leading to a flooded market for textbooks.
- Women emerged as significant readers, with books on etiquette and housekeeping published for them.
- Nineteenth-century women novelists, such as Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, and George Eliot, portrayed women with strong wills, independent opinions, and influential personalities.
- Workers also engaged with reading and learning, with many lower middle-class individuals and artists renting books from libraries to educate themselves.
- As working hours shortened in the mid-nineteenth century, workers began expressing their views through writing.
Further Innovations of Press
- Presses evolved from metal construction, with numerous innovations introduced in the 19th century.
- Richard M. Hoe developed a power-driven cylindrical press capable of printing 8000 sheets per hour, especially useful for newspapers.
- The late 19th century saw the development of the offset press, which could print up to six colors simultaneously.
- Electrically operated presses accelerated printing operations in the 20th century.
- Dust covers or jacket covers for books were also introduced in the 20th century.
New Strategies to Sell Books
- In the 1920s in England, popular works were sold in cheap "Shilling Series."
- To counteract a potential decline in book purchases during the Great Depression in the 1930s, publishers released affordable paperback editions.
Manuscripts Before the Age of Print in India
- India had a rich tradition of handwritten manuscripts in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, and other languages.
- Manuscripts were typically copied on palm leaves or handmade paper.
- These manuscripts were fragile and difficult to handle, though they could be carried easily.
Print Comes to India
- Portuguese missionaries established the first printing press in Goa.
- The first books printed were in the Konkani language; by 1674, approximately 50 books had been printed in Konkani and Kannada.
- Publishing in English began later, with James Augustus Hickey starting the weekly magazine "Bengal Gazette" in 1780.
- The first Indian newspaper, the weekly "Bengal Gazette," was published by Gangadhar Bhattacharya in 1816, who also published other books.
Religious Reform and Public Debates in India
- The early 19th century saw intense religious debates in India.
- Various groups proposed new interpretations of religious beliefs.
- Ram Mohan Roy published "Sambad Kaumudi" in 1821, while the orthodoxy commissioned "Samachar Chandrika" to counter his views.
- In 1822, two Persian newspapers, "Jam-i-Jahan Noma" and "Shamsul Akhbar," were published.
- The Deoband Seminari, founded in 1867, published countless fatwas, guiding Muslim readers on daily life and explaining Islamic doctrines.
- The first printed edition of Tulsidas's 16th-century text, "Ramcharitmanas," was released in Calcutta in 1810.
New Forms of Publication in India
- Novels became popular, reflecting readers' life experiences through a literary form adapted to Indian styles from Europe.
- Visual paintings gained popularity, with calendars and images of gods and goddesses adorning homes,
- These images provided employment for wood engravers.
- Prints depicting new social and cultural life emerged, influencing public perceptions of societal change.
- Caricatures and cartoons also became widely recognized.
Impact of Print Culture on Indian Women
- Print enabled women to read in privacy, fostering discussions and debates among like-minded individuals.
- Women used print to express themselves, shape their ideas, and connect across diverse social, religious, and class groups.
- Many women wrote their experiences and stories.
- Liberal husbands and fathers encouraged their wives and daughters to study.
- Despite some opposition, with Hindus fearing widowhood and Muslims fearing corruption from Urdu romances, many women secretly learned to read and write at home.
- Rashsundari Debi, a young Bengali wife, learned to read at home and later wrote "Amar Jiban," the first full-length autobiography, published in 1876.
Print and the Poor People
- In the 19th century, very cheap and small books were sold in markets, making reading accessible to the poor, especially in places like Madras.
- Lending libraries were established to further facilitate access to books.
- Paperback editions of novels were printed to ensure affordability for the masses.
- Literacy rates among the labor class increased.
- Print helped disseminate nationalist messages.
- From the late 19th century, issues of caste discrimination became a popular topic in printed tracts and essays.
- In 1871, Jyotiba Phule addressed the injustice of the caste system in his book "Gulamgiri."
- Kashibaba, a Kanpur Mill worker, wrote and published "Chote aur Bade ka Saval" in 1938, highlighting the connections between caste and class exploitation.
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