Class 10 History Chapter 5 Print Culture and the Modern World Notes: Print culture describes how printed materials shaped societies, leading to the modern era.
These Class 10 notes trace print's origins, global spread, and profound influence on communication, education, and political systems. Understanding this is vital for the Class 10 History syllabus.
Class 10 History Chapter 5 Notes
Class 10 history chapter 5 print culture and the modern world notes explores the evolution of print culture is not merely the story of machines and technology; it is the story of how human ideas, revolutions, and social reforms spread across the world.
From hand-printed manuscripts to modern newspapers, print technology transformed the way people thought, learned, and communicated, shaping societies and political movements globally.
The Origins of Print: East Asia- Ch 5 History Class 10 Notes
The earliest forms of printing developed in China, Japan, and Korea, where woodblock printing was used for centuries.
China
By the 17th century, China experienced a growth in urban culture, leading to increased demand for printed material. Printing expanded beyond scholar-officials to merchants, students, and leisure readers. By the late 19th century, Shanghai emerged as a major printing hub with the introduction of Western mechanical presses, greatly boosting mass production.
Japan
Hand-printing was introduced to Japan by Buddhist missionaries between AD 768–770. The oldest surviving Japanese printed book is the Diamond Sutra (AD 868), a Buddhist text. Printing played a crucial role in spreading religious teachings and literature.
The European Print Revolution
Print technology reached Europe through trade routes. Chinese paper arrived via the Silk Route in the 11th century, and in 1295, Marco Polo introduced woodblock printing ideas to Italy after returning from China.
Gutenberg’s Breakthrough
Before printing, manuscripts were costly, fragile, and slow to produce. In the 1430s, Johann Gutenberg of Germany revolutionized printing by developing the first mechanical printing press using movable metal type.
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By 1448, Gutenberg perfected his system
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The first book printed was the Bible
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He produced 180 copies in just three years, a remarkable achievement for the time
This innovation made books cheaper and more accessible, laying the foundation for mass literacy.
Impact of the Print Revolution
Rise of a New Reading Public
With the sudden availability of books, a new reading culture emerged. To reach the illiterate population, printers published illustrated folk tales, ballads, and pamphlets, allowing stories to be understood through visuals.
Religious Conflict and Dissent
The Reformation
In 1517, Martin Luther wrote the Ninety-Five Theses criticizing the Roman Catholic Church. Print enabled his ideas to spread rapidly across Europe, leading to the Protestant Reformation. Luther famously called print “the ultimate gift of God.”
Censorship
The Church feared the spread of rebellious ideas and imposed strict controls. A miller named Menocchio was executed for interpreting the Bible in his own way. In 1558, the Church published the Index of Prohibited Books to restrict reading material.
The Age of Enlightenment
By the 18th century, literacy rates in Europe rose to 60–80%.
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Cheap books like penny chapbooks in England
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Bibliothèque Bleue in France made reading affordable
Print popularized the ideas of thinkers such as Rousseau, Voltaire, and Newton, encouraging debate and critical thinking. These ideas played a key role in inspiring political change, particularly the French Revolution.
Innovations in the 19th Century
The 19th century witnessed major advancements in printing technology:
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Richard M. Hoe developed the power-driven cylindrical press
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Offset printing allowed multi-color printing
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By the 20th century, electric presses had greatly increased speed and efficiency
These innovations enabled newspapers, magazines, and books to reach wider audiences than ever before.
Print Culture in India
India had a long tradition of handwritten manuscripts on palm leaves and handmade paper, written in Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, and regional languages.
Arrival of the Printing Press
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The first printing press arrived in Goa in the mid-16th century, brought by Portuguese missionaries
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In 1780, James Augustus Hickey started the Bengal Gazette, India’s first newspaper
Print and Religious Reform
Print became a powerful tool for social reform:
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Raja Rammohun Roy published Sambad Kaumudi (1821) to promote reformist ideas
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Orthodox groups responded with Samachar Chandrika
Print, Social Reform, and the Marginalised
Print gave voice to earlier unheard communities.
Caste Reform
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Jyotiba Phule wrote Gulamgiri (1871), exposing caste oppression
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Leaders like B.R. Ambedkar and E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker used print to fight discrimination
Women’s Voices
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Rashsundari Devi published Amar Jiban (1876), the first autobiography by an Indian woman
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Tarabai Shinde highlighted the hardships faced by upper-caste widows
Workers’ Education
By the 1930s, mill workers in cities like Kanpur and Bangalore formed libraries and wrote poems to express their struggles and aspirations.
Censorship in India
As print began supporting nationalism, the British government imposed controls. In 1878, the Vernacular Press Act allowed censorship of newspapers in Indian languages. Despite restrictions, nationalist publications continued to grow, strengthening the freedom movement and spreading political awareness.
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