Print Culture and Modern World - Board Pattern 60 MCQs - Class 10 History Chapter 5 Mcq

Anant Singh November 09, 2025

Print Culture and Modern World - Board Pattern 60 MCQs - Class 10 History Chapter 5 MCQs  ( Basics MCQs and Advanced MCQs)


Print Culture and Modern World - Board Pattern 60 MCQs


The invention of printing changed the world forever. From ancient handwritten manuscripts to modern printing presses, the spread of printed books shaped human thought, politics, religion, and education.

For Class 10 History students, the chapter “Print Culture and the Modern World” carries a mix of conceptual and factual questions, and CBSE often asks MCQs, one-word answers, and match-the-following types based on authors, years, inventions, and books.

Let’s understand every key point and fact from this chapter in a clear and exam-ready way.

Complete MCQ Practice (with Answers)

1. One-Mark Factual MCQs

  1. Who invented the first printing press?
    a) James Watt
    b) Johann Gutenberg
    c) Martin Luther
    d) William Caxton
    Ans: b) Johann Gutenberg
  2. In which year was the first printed Bible produced by Gutenberg?
    a) 1448
    b) 1455
    c) 1517
    d) 1498
    Ans: b) 1455
  3. The first printed book in India was published in —
    a) Bombay
    b) Madras
    c) Goa
    d) Calcutta
    Ans: c) Goa
  4. Name the first book printed in India.
    a) Amar Jiban
    b) Compendio Spiritual da Vida Christa
    c) Phoolmani and Karuna
    d) Samachar Darpan
    Ans: b) Compendio Spiritual da Vida Christa
  5. Martin Luther’s famous 95 Theses were printed in —
    a) 1517
    b) 1500
    c) 1558
    d) 1600
    Ans: a) 1517
  6. The first printing press in India was established by —
    a) Portuguese Missionaries
    b) British East India Company
    c) Danish Missionaries
    d) French Traders
    Ans: a) Portuguese Missionaries
  7. Index of Prohibited Books was issued by —
    a) Martin Luther
    b) Catholic Church
    c) Protestant Church
    d) John Calvin
    Ans: b) Catholic Church
  8. In which century did print come to Europe?
    a) 13th century
    b) 14th century
    c) 15th century
    d) 16th century
    Ans: c) 15th century
  9. Which reformer used print to spread religious ideas against the Church?
    a) Rousseau
    b) Martin Luther
    c) Voltaire
    d) Montesquieu
    Ans: b) Martin Luther
  10. The Vernacular Press Act was passed in —
    a) 1878
    b) 1858
    c) 1898
    d) 1908
    Ans: a) 1878

2. Assertion–Reason Type Questions

  1. Assertion (A): The Vernacular Press Act was passed by Lord Lytton.
    Reason (R): The British wanted to control Indian newspapers that criticized their rule.
    a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
    b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
    c) A is true, R is false.
    d) A is false, R is true.
    Ans: a)
  2. Assertion (A): Printing helped the spread of Reformation in Europe.
    Reason (R): People could now read new religious ideas easily.
    Ans: a) Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.
  3. Assertion (A): Manuscripts were widely used in medieval Europe.
    Reason (R): They were easy to produce and distribute quickly.
    Ans: c) A is true, R is false.
  4. Assertion (A): Printing led to a new reading public.
    Reason (R): Books became cheaper and more accessible to common people.
    Ans: a) Both A and R are true, and R explains A.

 3. Match the Following

Column A

Column B

(a) Johann Gutenberg

(i) 95 Theses

(b) Martin Luther

(ii) Amar Jiban

(c) Rashsundari Devi

(iii) Invented printing press

(d) Lord Lytton

(iv) Vernacular Press Act

Correct Match:
(a) → (iii), (b) → (i), (c) → (ii), (d) → (iv)

Column A

Column B

(a) Compendio Spiritual da Vida Christa

(i) First book printed in India

(b) Index of Prohibited Books

(ii) Catholic Church

(c) Amar Jiban

(iii) Autobiography by Rashsundari Devi

(d) MAZDOOR KA DOST

(iv) Hindi reformist publication

Correct Match:
(a) → (i), (b) → (ii), (c) → (iii), (d) → (iv)

 4. Odd One Out (Identify the Incorrect Option)

  1. Find the odd one out:
    a) Gutenberg Bible
    b) Index of Prohibited Books
    c) 95 Theses
    d) Amar Jiban
    Ans: d) Amar Jiban (Indian author, others are European prints)
  2. Find the odd one out (printing in India):
    a) Goa
    b) Bombay
    c) Calcutta
    d) Paris
    Ans: d) Paris
  3. Find the odd one out (Reformers using print):
    a) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
    b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
    c) Mahatma Gandhi
    d) Akbar
    Ans: d) Akbar
  4. Find the odd one out (European writers):
    a) Martin Luther
    b) Voltaire
    c) Montesquieu
    d) Raja Ravi Varma
    Ans: d) Raja Ravi Varma

 5. Correctly Matched Type

  1. Choose the correctly matched pair:
    a) Gutenberg – 1517
    b) Martin Luther – 95 Theses
    c) Lord Lytton – 1857 Revolt
    d) Rashsundari Devi – Phoolmani and Karuna
    Ans: b) Martin Luther – 95 Theses
  2. Which of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
    a) Vernacular Press Act – 1878
    b) Raja Ram Mohan Roy – Kesari
    c) Rashsundari Devi – Amar Jiban
    d) Martin Luther – Reformation Movement
    Ans: b) Raja Ram Mohan Roy – Kesari (Kesari was Tilak’s newspaper)

6. Conceptual / Analytical MCQs

  1. Why did the Church begin to control printed books in Europe?
    a) To improve grammar
    b) To stop criticism of its teachings
    c) To reduce paper use
    d) To support scientists
    Ans: b)
  2. What was the main reason for the spread of literacy in 16th century Europe?
    a) Urbanization
    b) Industrialization
    c) Printing press
    d) Wars
    Ans: c) Printing press
  3. Who among the following used printing to fight caste inequality?
    a) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
    b) Jyotiba Phule
    c) Tilak
    d) Ambedkar
    Ans: b) Jyotiba Phule
  4. Which form of literature became most popular among the poor in 19th century India?
    a) Chapbooks
    b) Bazaari Literature
    c) Religious Manuscripts
    d) Sanskrit Classics
    Ans: b) Bazaari Literature
  5. Which language newspaper faced restrictions under the Vernacular Press Act?
    a) English
    b) Bengali
    c) French
    d) Portuguese
    Ans: b) Bengali

 7. Year-Based Chronology Questions

Arrange the following events in correct chronological order:

  1. Gutenberg Bible printed
  2. Reformation begins
  3. Vernacular Press Act passed
  4. Printing introduced in India

Options:
a) 1 → 2 → 4 → 3
b) 2 → 1 → 3 → 4
c) 4 → 1 → 2 → 3
d) 1 → 4 → 2 → 3
Ans: a) 1 → 2 → 4 → 3
(1455 → 1517 → 1556 → 1878)

 8. Mixed Practice Set (Board-Level Difficulty)

  1. Who wrote Amar Jiban?
    Ans: Rashsundari Devi
  2. The first printing press in India was set up in which year?
    Ans: 1556
  3. Which social reformer used printing to support widow remarriage?
    Ans: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
  4. Which event showed that printed ideas can inspire revolutions?
    Ans: The French Revolution (1789)
  5. What was the main purpose of the Vernacular Press Act?
    Ans: To restrict Indian language newspapers from criticising British policies.

🔹 Advanced MCQs (Part 2) - Class 10 History – Print Culture and the Modern World

1-MarkDirect MCQs

  1. The first printing press in India was established in:
    a) Bombay b) Calcutta c) Goa d) Madras
    Ans: c) Goa
  2. Compendio Spiritual da Vida Christa was printed in which language?
    a) Latin b) Portuguese c) Tamil d) English
    Ans: b) Portuguese
  3. In which century did the first printing press reach India?
    a) 14th b) 15th c) 16th d) 17th
    Ans: c) 16th century (1556)
  4. Which of the following cities was not a major printing centre in 19th-century India?
    a) Calcutta b) Bombay c) Delhi d) Rome
    Ans: d) Rome
  5. Who wrote Phoolmani and Karuna?
    a) Hannah Mullens b) Kailashbashini Debi c) Rashsundari Devi d) Tarabai Shinde
    Ans: a) Hannah Mullens
  6. Who among the following printed the first Tamil book?
    a) Danish Missionaries b) Portuguese Missionaries c) British Traders d) French Priests
    Ans: b) Portuguese Missionaries
  7. Which event encouraged the demand for printed materials in Europe?
    a) Industrial Revolution b) Renaissance c) Crusades d) World War I
    Ans: b) Renaissance
  8. What was the chief feature of early printed books?
    a) Illustrated woodcuts b) Plastic covers c) Typewriter fonts d) Digital plates
    Ans: a) Illustrated woodcuts
  9. Which among these was a famous Enlightenment writer?
    a) Rousseau b) Vidyasagar c) Tilak d) Ambedkar
    Ans: a) Rousseau
  10. What was Penny Magazine known for?
    a) Expensive art prints b) Cheap informative articles for workers
    Ans: b) Cheap informative articles for workers

Assertion–Reason

  1. A: The Reformation spread quickly because of printing.
    R: Printing allowed faster reproduction of pamphlets and books.
    Ans: a) Both A and R true; R explains A.
  2. A: Handwritten manuscripts were easy to carry.
    R: They were light and cheap.
    Ans: d) Both A and R false.
  3. A: In India, print helped the growth of social reform movements.
    R: Reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy used print to educate people.
    Ans: a) Both true; R explains A.
  4. A: The Vernacular Press Act promoted Indian journalism.
    R: It imposed strict censorship on Indian-language newspapers.
    Ans: c) A false, R true.

Match the Following

Column A

Column B

(a) Voltaire

(i) French Enlightenment writer

(b) Raja Ram Mohan Roy

(ii) Bengali reformer, Sambad Kaumudi

(c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

(iii) Kesari (Marathi paper)

(d) Lord Lytton

(iv) Vernacular Press Act (1878)

Ans: (a→i), (b→ii), (c→iii), (d→iv)

Column A

Column B

(a) Rashsundari Devi

(i) Amar Jiban

(b) Hannah Mullens

(ii) Phoolmani and Karuna

(c) Martin Luther

(iii) 95 Theses

(d) Johann Gutenberg

(iv) Printing Press invention

Ans: (a→i), (b→ii), (c→iii), (d→iv)

Odd One Out

  1. Identify the odd one out:
    a) Amrita Bazar Patrika b) Kesari c) Sambad Kaumudi d) Index of Prohibited Books
    Ans: d) Index of Prohibited Books
  2. Identify the odd one out:
    a) Gutenberg b) Caxton c) Tilak d) Fust
    Ans: c) Tilak
  3. Identify the odd one out (women authors):
    a) Rashsundari Devi b) Hannah Mullens c) Kailashbashini Debi d) Martin Luther
    Ans: d) Martin Luther

Chronology

  1. Arrange chronologically:
  2. Gutenberg Bible
  3. Reformation Movement
  4. Printing in India
  5. Vernacular Press Act
    Ans: 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 (1455 → 1517 → 1556 → 1878)
  6. Sequence of developments in Indian print:
  7. Portuguese Press (Goa)
  8. Bengali Books (Calcutta)
  9. Hindi Newspapers (Banaras)
  10. Vernacular Press Act
    Ans: 1 → 2 → 3 → 4

Analytical & Application-Based

  1. Why did poor people prefer “bazaari” literature?
    a) It was printed in English
    b) It was cheap and entertaining
    Ans: b) Cheap and entertaining
  2. Which act is considered a major setback to freedom of the press in colonial India?
    Ans: Vernacular Press Act (1878)
  3. What was the main aim of Protestant reformers using print?
    Ans: To question the authority of the Catholic Church and spread new ideas.
  4. Name one Indian language in which newspapers developed rapidly in the 19th century.
    Ans: Bengali / Hindi / Urdu
  5. Why did women begin writing autobiographies in 19th century India?
    Ans: Because print gave them a voice to express experiences and advocate education.

Case-Based / Paragraph-Type MCQs

(Excerpt) — “Rashsundari Devi taught herself to read secretly and later wrote Amar Jiban, the first autobiography by an Indian woman.”

  1. Which century does this event belong to?
    a) 17th b) 18th c) 19th d) 20th
    Ans: c) 19th century
  2. What social message does Amar Jiban give?
    a) Women should remain confined to home
    b) Women must pursue education and literacy
    Ans: b)

Correctly / Incorrectly Matched

  1. Identify the correctly matched pair:
    a) Lord Curzon – Vernacular Press Act 
    b) Rashsundari Devi – Amar Jiban 
    c) Raja Ram Mohan Roy – Kesari 
    d) Tilak – Phoolmani and Karuna
    Ans: b) Rashsundari Devi – Amar Jiban
  2. Find the incorrect match:
    a) Gutenberg – Germany 
    b) Martin Luther – Reformation 
    c) Vernacular Press Act – Lord Ripon 
    d) Rousseau – France
    Ans: c) Vernacular Press Act – Lord Ripon (It was Lord Lytton)

Map / Geography-Linked Awareness

  1. Identify the correct location of the first printing press in India:
    a) Pondicherry b) Goa c) Calcutta d) Madras
    Ans: b) Goa
  2. Match these European regions with their early printing centres:

Region

City

Germany

Mainz

England

London

Italy

Venice

Ans: All correctly matched.

Print Culture and the Modern World – Class 10 Summary

1️. The Beginning of Print in Europe

  • Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press at Mainz, Germany (around 1448–1455).
  • His first book was the Gutenberg Bible (1455).
  • By 1500, printing presses existed in more than 200 European towns.
  • Printed books encouraged the Renaissance (rebirth of learning) and Reformation.
  • Knowledge spread faster, literacy improved, and ideas of humanism and science gained ground.

2️. Print and the Reformation

  • Martin Luther used print to circulate his 95 Theses (1517) against the Catholic Church.
  • Pamphlets and printed sermons spread his reformist message.
  • The Catholic Church reacted by publishing the Index of Prohibited Books (1558).
  • Printing created a new public that began to question authority.

3️. The Reading Mania in Europe

  • By the 17th and 18th centuries, literacy increased in Europe.
  • Cheap books, almanacs, ballads, and Penny Magazines reached workers and women.
  • Thinkers like Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu used print to challenge monarchies and promote Enlightenment ideas.
  • Printed material inspired the French Revolution (1789) by spreading the call for liberty and equality.

4️. The Coming of Print to India

  • Portuguese Missionaries introduced printing in Goa (1556).
  • The first printed book in India was “Compendio Spiritual da Vida Christa” (1557).
  • Later presses appeared in Bombay (1674), Madras (1772), and Calcutta (1778).
  • Printing expanded to Indian languages — Tamil, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, Marathi.

5️. Growth of Indian-Language Printing

  • Calcutta became an early hub through Fort William College, which trained translators.
  • Bengali & Hindi newspapers such as Samachar Darpan and Samachar Sudhavarshan appeared.
  • Missionaries printed Bible translations and educational tracts in regional languages.

6️. Print and Indian Society

(a) Reform Movements

  • Reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar used print to campaign against social evils.
  • Jyotiba Phule and B. R. Ambedkar used print for social equality and caste reform.

(b) Women and Print

  • Women emerged as readers and writers.
  • Rashsundari Devi’s Amar Jiban (first autobiography by an Indian woman).
  • Kailashbashini Debi and Hannah Mullens advocated women’s education through their writings.

(c) Popular Literature

  • Chapbooks, songs, plays, and cheap “bazaari literature” reached rural audiences.
  • Public libraries encouraged a culture of reading.

7️. Print and Nationalism

  • The press united Indians by spreading ideas of freedom and identity.
  • Newspapers like Kesari (Tilak), Amrita Bazar Patrika, and The Hindoo Patriot became nationalist voices.
  • Printed pamphlets and journals exposed British exploitation and promoted Swadeshi ideas.

8️. Censorship and Control

  • The British saw vernacular press as dangerous.
  • Vernacular Press Act (1878) by Lord Lytton gave power to confiscate publications critical of the government.
  • Despite restrictions, underground printing continued, keeping nationalism alive.

9️. Major Personalities & Works

Person

Contribution / Work

Johann Gutenberg

Invented printing press (1455)

Martin Luther

95 Theses (1517), Reformation

Voltaire, Rousseau, Montesquieu

Enlightenment thinkers

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Sambad Kaumudi (social reforms)

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Kesari newspaper (nationalism)

Rashsundari Devi

Amar Jiban

Hannah Mullens

Phoolmani and Karuna

Lord Lytton

Vernacular Press Act (1878)

10. Impact of Print Culture

  • Spread of literacy and education.
  • Birth of public opinion and democracy.
  • Encouraged debates and social change.
  • Strengthened nationalist movements in India.

Quick Revision Facts

  • First Printed Book (Europe): Gutenberg Bible – 1455
  • First Printed Book (India): Compendio Spiritual da Vida Christa – 1557
  • First Indian Woman Autobiography: Amar Jiban – Rashsundari Devi
  • Vernacular Press Act: 1878 by Lord Lytton
  • Important Newspapers: Kesari, Amrita Bazar Patrika, Sambad Kaumudi

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