Class 10 History Chapter 5
Print Culture and the Modern World
Important Questions

Ans: The Protestant Reformation, which transpired in the 16th century, aimed to bring about changes within the Catholic Church, which was under the influence of Rome. A prominent figure in this movement was Martin Luther, a key Protestant reformer. Luther composed the Ninety-Five Theses, a document that critically questioned numerous practices and rituals associated with the Roman Catholic Church. As a result of this movement, various strands of anti-Catholic Christianity emerged, with new traditions evolving from the reformist ideals.

Ans: The rise in demand for books spurred the popularity of woodblock printing, especially in Europe. This technique found applications in printing textiles, playing cards, and religious images containing concise texts. The transformative leap in printing technology, however, was pioneered by Johann Gutenberg, who devised the inaugural printing press. Drawing inspiration from the Olive Press, Gutenberg’s invention hinged on the creation of moulds for casting metal types representing letters and alphabets. Notably, the first book produced using Gutenberg’s press was the Bible. With the proliferation of printing presses, the production of books underwent a significant surge. This transition from manual printing to mechanical printing marked the advent of the print revolution.