What did the spread of print culture in nineteenth century India mean to:
a) Women
b) The poor
c) Reformers
(a) The spread of print culture in 19th century India benefitted Indian women through learning and education. The liberal families supported the education of women to study or read as they believed education and reading would make the women corrupt. This led to the counter reaction, as most of the oppressed women began to study and read books and learnt writing in secrecy. Some literate women started to write books and their autobiographies. Rashasundari Devi, a young married girl wrote her autobiography “Amar Jiban” which was published in 1876. Overall, the print culture in 19th century India helped in spread of the feeling of self-reliance among Indian women.
(b) The poor people benefitted from the spread of print culture because of the availability of books at a low price. The readership among them increased due to the publication of low priced books. Public libraries were also set up from the early 19th century, expanding the access to the books where all people could gain knowledge. Encouraged and inspired by the social reformers, the people like factory workers too set up their libraries and some even wrote books. Kashibaba, a Kanpur mill worker wrote and published ‘Chote aur Bade Ka Sawal’.
(c) Indian reforms of 19th century utilized print culture as the most potent means of spreading their reformist ideas and highlight the unethical issues. They began publishing various vernacular and English and Hindi newspapers and books through which they could spread their opinions against widow immolation, child marriage, monotheism, Brahmanical priesthood and idolatry to the
common people of the country. In this way the spread of print culture in the 19th century provided
them a space for attacking religious orthodoxy and to spread modern social and political ideas to the people of different languages across the country.
Explain how the global transfer of disease in the pre-modern world helped in the colonisation of the Americas.
List all the different social groups which joined the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921. Then choose any three and write about their hopes and struggles to show why they, joined the movement.
Compare the images of Bharat Mata in this chapter with the image of Germania in Chapter 1.
a) The British government’s decision to abolish the Corn Laws.
b) The coming of rinderpest to Africa.
c) The death of men of working-age in Europe because of the World War.
d) The Great Depression on the Indian economy.
e) The decision of MNCs to relocate production to Asian countries.
Briefly trace the process of German unification.
Explain what is meant by the 1848 revolution of the liberals. What were the political, social and economic ideas supported by the liberals?
Write a newspaper report on:
a) The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
b) The Simon Commission
How was the history of nationalism in Britain unlike the rest of Europe?
What steps did the French revolutionaries take to create a sense of collective identity among the French people?
Who were Marianne and Germania? What was the importance of the way in which they were portrayed?
Why did some people in eighteenth century Europe think that print culture would bring enlightenment and end despotism?
Explain what is meant by proto-industrialisation.
What steps did the French revolutionaries take to create a sense of collective identity among the French people?
What is meant by the idea of satyagraha?
Give two examples from history to show the impact of technology on food availability.
a) Why growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement.
b) How the First World War helped in the growth of the National Movement in India.
c) Why Indians were outraged by the Rowlatt Act.
d) Why Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Explain what is referred to as the G-77 countries. In what ways can G-77 be seen as a reaction to the activities of the Bretton Woods twins?
Give two examples of different types of global exchanges which took place before the seventeenth century, choosing one example from Asia and one from the Americas.
Choose three examples to show the contribution of culture to the growth of nationalism in Europe.
Explain the causes of the Great Depression.