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Read the given source and… (Social Science 2025 32/2/1 Q34)

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Social ScienceCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2025, set 32/2/1 · 4 marks · Case-based

CBSE Class 10 Social Science 2025: question 34

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2025, paper 32/2/1, section E, question 34, for 4 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q34 · 4 marks · Case-basedCompetency-basedPrint Culture and the Modern World

Read the given source and answer the questions that follow:
Print Culture and the French Revolution
Many historians have argued that print culture created the conditions within which French Revolution occurred.
Some arguments have been usually put forward in this context.
First: print popularised the ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers. Collectively, their writings provided a critical commentary on tradition, superstition and despotism. They argued for the rule of reason rather than custom, and demanded that everything be judged through the application of reason and rationality. They attacked the sacred authority of the Church and the despotic power of the state, thus eroding the legitimacy of a social order based on tradition. The writings of Voltaire and Rousseau were read widely; and those who read these books saw the world through new eyes, eyes that were questioning, critical and rational.
Second: print created a new culture of dialogue and debate. All values, norms and institutions were re-evaluated and discussed by a public that had become aware of the power of reason, and recognised the need to question existing ideas and beliefs. Within this public culture, new ideas of social revolution came into being.

  1. (34.1)

    What impact did the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers have on society?

    1 mark
  2. (34.2)

    How did print culture affect religion in France?

    1 mark
  3. (34.3)

    How did print culture contribute to the social revolution in France?

    2 marks

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2025 board paper, set 32/2/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

Look for what the first paragraph says the thinkers argued for.

Hint 2

Find the sentence about the Church in the passage.

Hint 3

For (iii), use the second argument about dialogue and debate.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. (i) Enlightenment writings gave a critical commentary on tradition, superstition and despotism. They urged that everything be judged by reason and rationality rather than custom.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) Print carried attacks on the sacred authority of the Church. Readers began to view religion and the world in a questioning, critical and rational way.

    1 mark

  3. (iii) Print created a culture of dialogue and debate in which all values, norms and institutions were re-evaluated by a public aware of the power of reason.

    1 mark

  4. (iii) People recognised the need to question existing ideas and beliefs, and from this public culture new ideas of social revolution emerged.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) Reason replaced custom; tradition, superstition and despotism were criticised. (ii) The Church's sacred authority was attacked and people became questioning. (iii) Print created debate that re-evaluated norms and gave rise to ideas of social revolution.

Where the marks are

  • (i) Critical of tradition and despotism or stress on reason (1 mark)
  • (ii) Attack on the Church's authority (1 mark)
  • (iii) Culture of dialogue and debate re-evaluating institutions (1 mark)
  • (iii) New ideas of social revolution emerged (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Print Culture and the Modern World, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2025 board paper, set 32/2/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.