Maharashtra Board Class 12 History Chapter 1 Renaissance in Europe and Development of Science Exercise Solutions

1A. Choose the correct alternative and rewrite the statement.

1. In 1440 ________ started the printing press.
(a) James Watt
(b) Gutenberg
(c) Aristotle
(d) Homer
Answer: (b) Gutenberg
In simple words: Johannes Gutenberg invented a machine that could print many copies of a book at once, making reading and learning much easier for everyone.

📝 Teacher's Note: Use the analogy of a rubber stamp to explain how the printing press works. Explain how this invention helped spread the ideas of the Renaissance rapidly.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the year (1440) and the name (Gutenberg) as these are frequently asked in objective questions.

2. In 1609 _______ made a modified telescope.
(a) John Kay
(b) Copernicus
(c) Galileo
(d) Kepler
Answer: (c) Galileo
In simple words: Galileo built an improved telescope that let him see space much more clearly, which helped him prove that the Earth moves around the Sun.

📝 Teacher's Note: Highlight that while Galileo didn't "invent" the telescope, his "modification" made it powerful enough for scientific observation of the stars.

🎯 Exam Tip: Don't confuse Galileo with Copernicus; while Copernicus had the theory, Galileo provided the visual proof with his telescope.

3. _________ was the first explorer to circumnavigate the African continent.
(a) Henry the Navigator
(b) Marco Polo
(c) Bartholomew Dias
(d) Columbus
Answer: (c) Bartholomew Dias
In simple words: Bartholomew Dias was a famous sailor who was the first to sail all the way around the bottom tip of Africa, opening a new path to the East.

📝 Teacher's Note: Use a map to show the "Cape of Good Hope" at the tip of Africa to help students visualize the scale of this journey.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that "circumnavigating the African continent" refers specifically to reaching the southern tip and turning toward the Indian Ocean.

B. Find the incorrect pair from group ‘B’ and write the corrected one.

1.

Answer: Samuel Crompton - Spinning Mule
In simple words: The list incorrectly matched Samuel Crompton with the "Cotton gin." Actually, he invented the "Spinning Mule," which made very strong thread for clothes.

📝 Teacher's Note: Encourage students to create a matching table of Industrial Revolution inventors and their machines to avoid confusion between similar-sounding inventions.

🎯 Exam Tip: When correcting a pair, always write both the name of the person and the correct invention to ensure full marks.

2. Write the names of historical places/persons/events.

1. Father of the empirical science —
Answer: Galileo
In simple words: Galileo is called this because he believed that science should be based on what we can actually observe and prove through experiments.

📝 Teacher's Note: Explain "empirical science" as science based on evidence and observation rather than just theory or old beliefs.

🎯 Exam Tip: This is a high-yield "one-word" answer question. Associate "Empirical" with "Galileo" in your notes.

2. Scientists who told the world that the centre of our planetary system is the ‘Sun’ and not the ‘Earth’ —
Answer: Nicolaus Copernicus
In simple words: Before Copernicus, people thought the Earth was the center of everything. He showed that the Sun is actually at the center.

📝 Teacher's Note: Mention the "Heliocentric theory" as the technical term for the Sun-centered model to prepare students for more advanced levels.

🎯 Exam Tip: Spelling of "Nicolaus Copernicus" should be practiced to avoid losing marks in objective sections.

Question 3. The treatise was written by Varahmihir —
Answer: Brihatsamhita
In simple words: This is a famous ancient Indian book that talks about many things like stars, weather, and plants.

📝 Teacher's Note: Connect this to the Indian contribution to science to show that scientific development was happening globally, not just in Europe.

🎯 Exam Tip: This often appears in the "Identify the name" section; remember the link between Varahmihir and Brihatsamhita.

3. Complete the following concept map.

1. Geographic Discoveries
Answer:

• Marco Polo — China
• Mungo Park — Niger
• Henry the Navigator — Madeira and Azores
• Abel Tasman — New Zealand

In simple words: This map shows famous explorers and the places they discovered or traveled to, helping Europe learn about the rest of the world.

📝 Teacher's Note: For concept maps, students should practice drawing boxes and connecting them with clear arrows. Use different colors for explorers and their locations.

🎯 Exam Tip: Make sure you memorize the specific pair for each explorer as these are strictly evaluated in the concept map format.

4. Write short notes.

Question 1. European Crusades.
Answer:
1. The two cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem considered holy by the Jews, Christians, and Muslims were under Islamic rule in the 11th century.
2. Christians of Europe wanted to regain hold over these cities and fought several wars known as ‘Crusaders’.
3. The common people in Europe were highly inspired to be part of such religious wars.
4. When the Pope announced that the sins of those who took part in such wars would be forgiven and would immediately go to Heaven, there was spontaneous participation by the common people in the crusaders.
5. Besides social and political circumstances, the Roman emperors were also trying to bring Syria and Asia Minor under their control.
6. Moreover, the rich merchants in Genova and Venice in Italy were looking for Central Asian markets to establish their trade.
7. The first crusade started in 1096 C.E.
8. A second call for the crusade was given by Pope Eugenius III who sought help from the French King Louis VII and the German King Conrad III.
9. The crusaders were ultimately defeated by the Turks and in 1187 C.E. Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt defeated the crusaders by conquering Jerusalem.
10. However, the crusaders failed for several reasons such as the attitude of the Pope and the European rulers common people losing faith, the rift between the Pope and the European kings, etc.
In simple words: The Crusades were religious wars where European Christians tried to capture holy cities like Jerusalem. Although the Pope promised heaven to those who fought, the crusaders eventually lost because of disagreements among their leaders.

📝 Teacher's Note: Explain the Crusaders not just as religious wars, but also as a way for kings to gain power and merchants to gain new trade routes.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always mention the year (1096 C.E.) and the name of the Sultan (Saladin) to make your answer more detailed and impressive.

Question 2. Metallurgy in Europe.
Answer:
1. England had a number of iron mines.
2. Therefore, it was necessary to advance the technique of smelting iron to acquire purified iron from it.
3. The fuel for iron furnaces was replaced from wood to coal.
4. Special machines were made to keep the furnaces at a set temperature and to maintain their aeration.
5. In 1865, the process of producing steel from molten iron was invented and the nature of the iron industry underwent a major transformation.
6. At about the same time, a method was adopted to pour the molten metal into casts for making iron bars (e.g. rails).
In simple words: In Europe, especially England, people learned how to make better iron and steel using coal instead of wood. This allowed them to build strong things like railway tracks and heavy machines.

📝 Teacher's Note: Help students understand that "Metallurgy" is the science of working with metals. Use the example of making a steel rail to explain the "casting" process.

🎯 Exam Tip: Highlighting the shift from "wood to coal" is a key point that examiners look for in this answer.

5. Explain the following statements with reasons.

Question 1. The European Renaissance is supposed to have reached its zenith in the 15th-16th centuries.
Answer:
1. The European Renaissance began in the 14th century C.E.
2. It reached its zenith in the 15th and 16th centuries.
3. These three centuries laid the foundations of a culture based on rationalism and science.
4. This age gave a new direction to human intellect genius and way of life.
5. People started writing poetry, drama, and fiction.
6. Novel experiments were conducted in the field of science.
7. In the pre-renaissance period, the thought about the existence of the universe revolved around ‘God’.
8. In short, in this period new inventions, machinery, art, drama, literature, and geographical discoveries have taken place.
In simple words: During the 15th and 16th centuries, Europe experienced a "golden age" where people started thinking for themselves using logic instead of just following old religious rules. This led to a boom in art, science, and new inventions.

📝 Teacher's Note: Define "Zenith" as the highest point or peak of success. Explain how "rationalism" means making decisions based on facts and reason.

🎯 Exam Tip: The transition from "God-centered" thought to "Human-centered" and "Logic-centered" thought is the most important concept here.

Question 2. The ‘Industrial Revolution first began in England.
Answer:
1. In England, the atmosphere was suitable for the industrial revolution.
2. Large amounts of iron ore and coal were available.
3. The humid climate of England was suitable for producing yarn.
4. These conditions proved to be favourable for the textile industry in England.
5. England had also established a large number of colonies by then so England could obtain raw material at cheap rates from these colonies.
6. England could also export the processed goods and sell it in their colonies with large profit margins using their navy.
7. The availability of cheap labour made it possible for them to maintain an optimum level of costs.
8. These factors prepared the ground for the industrial revolution in England thus giving a boost to its economy.
In simple words: England had everything needed for factories: coal, iron, a wet climate for cotton work, and many colonies to buy materials from and sell products to. This made it the perfect place for the first big change from hand-making things to machine-making.

📝 Teacher's Note: Use the "Four Factors of Production" (Land, Labor, Capital, Entrepreneurship) to explain why England was the leader.

🎯 Exam Tip: Mention the "humid climate" specifically when talking about the textile industry, as it was a unique geographical advantage for England.

6. State your opinion.

Question 1. The European natural scientists of the 17th century laid the foundations of modern science.
Answer: The scientists of the 17th century emphasized the following things:

• To prove that scientific principles established by empirical experiments are true despite time and space.
• To convert the emergent scientific rules into scientific formulae.
• To create new scientific parlance and so on.

These efforts helped the progress of science.
In simple words: Scientists in the 1600s changed science by insisting on testing everything with experiments and turning their findings into clear math-like formulas that work everywhere.

📝 Teacher's Note: Explain "scientific parlance" as the special vocabulary used by scientists (like 'atom' or 'gravity') that helps everyone understand discoveries clearly.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the point about "scientific formulae"; it shows how science became precise and mathematical.

Question 2. The economy based on surplus production supported economic nationalism and also imperialism.
Answer:

• Economic nationalism began the vicious circle of continuously capturing new marketplaces, searching for sources of a cheap supply of raw material, maintaining an unbroken chain supply of raw material), to attract more and more investors, to safeguard their investments. This resulted in limitless exploitation of the colonies.
• Extreme nationalism, industrialization, concepts of racial superiority, aggressive colonial policies further supported the growth of imperialism.
• The result was the immense expanse of the empires like England, France, Belgium, Germany, etc.

In simple words: When countries started producing more goods than they could use (surplus), they began taking over other countries (imperialism) to get cheap materials and new people to sell their products to.

📝 Teacher's Note: Connect "Surplus" to the need for "Markets." If a country has too much stuff, it must find new places to sell it, which leads to colonization.

🎯 Exam Tip: The term "vicious circle" is important here to describe how the need for resources and markets kept forcing countries to expand.

7. Answer the following questions in detail.

Question 1. Explain the causes and effects of European crusades.
Answer:

Causes of European crusades:

• The two cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem considered holy by the Jews, Christians, and Muslims were under Islamic rule in the 11th century.
• Christians of Europe wanted to regain hold over these cities and fought several wars known as ‘Crusaders’.
• The common people in Europe were highly inspired to be part of such religious wars.
• When the Pope announced that the sins of those who took part in such wars would be forgiven and would immediately go to Heaven, there was spontaneous participation by the common people in the crusaders.
• Besides social and political circumstances, the Roman emperors were also trying to bring Syria and Asia Minor under their control.
• Moreover, the rich merchants in Genova and Venice in Italy were looking for Central Asian markets to establish their trade.
• The first crusade started in 1096 C.E.
• A second call for the crusade was given by Pope Eugenius III who sought help from the French King Louis VII and the German King Conrad III.
• The crusaders were ultimately defeated by the Turks and in 1187 C.E. Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt defeated the crusaders by conquering Jerusalem.
• However, the crusaders failed for several reasons such as the attitude of the Pope and the European rulers common people losing faith, the rift between the Pope and the European kings, etc.

The crusades had far-reaching effects:

• According to some historians, the crusades led to the end of feudalism in Europe.
• The faith in the Pope began to decline.
• The contact with the regions in Central Asia led to the increased trade and new venues were opened for cities in Italy and Germany.
• It led to the rise of a new class of traders.
• European warfare went through many changes for e.g. they acquired expertise in building forts, managing the forts as military outposts, building bridges, etc.
• The European kings levied new taxes which were added to the royal treasury.
• The Europeans were introduced to newer types of plants, fruits, perfumes, etc.
• The Europeans came in contact with the Arabs and adopted many Arabic words in Alchemy, Music, and Commerce.

In simple words: The Crusades were fought for religious reasons and to gain power/trade. While the Christians didn't win the wars, the travel helped them discover new foods, words, and better ways to build things from the Arab world.

📝 Teacher's Note: Contrast the military failure of the Crusades with their cultural success. They failed to keep Jerusalem but succeeded in opening Europe to the world.

🎯 Exam Tip: For detailed answers, use subheadings like 'Causes' and 'Effects' to make your answer organized and easy for the examiner to read.

Question 2. Give detailed information on the development of science and scientific inventions during the renaissance period.
Answer: The scientists of the 17th century emphasized the following things:

• To prove that scientific principles established by empirical experiments are true despite time and space.
• To convert the emergent scientific rules into scientific formulae.
• To create new scientific parlance and so on.
• These efforts helped the progress of science.
• The compass, the barometer, telescope, and the thermometer were invented during this period.
• Microscopes were invented to observe various types of micro-organisms.
• Robert Boyle, an alchemist discovered that the absolute pressure and the volume of a gas are inversely proportional.
• The research in physics was more focused on heat and sound.
• In zoology, a methodology known as ‘Taxonomy’ was developed to classify animals.
• Benjamin Franklin’s research was on lightning and electricity. He coined many technical terms which are used in science even today.

In simple words: During the Renaissance, people started using logic and tools like the thermometer, telescope, and microscope to study the world. They also learned about gases, electricity, and how to classify different types of animals.

📝 Teacher's Note: List the inventions one by one on the board and ask students what each tool is used for today. This makes the "Renaissance" feel relevant to modern life.

🎯 Exam Tip: Make sure to include names like Robert Boyle and Benjamin Franklin, as naming specific scientists adds weight to your answer.

Try To Do This. (Textbook Page No. 3)

Question. Collect information about how the early European universities worked.
Answer:

• Early European universities were the University of Bologna in 1088 or the University of Paris (1150-1170).
• the University of Bologna is considered the ‘mother of universities’.
• European universities concentrated on science and research.
• Original Medieval universities arose from the Roman Catholic Church schools.
• Purposes included training of professionals, scientific investigation, and teaching critical thinking and research.
• During Renaissance, the humanist ideas were slowly accepted.
• Universities began preparing the student for a civilized life.
• The curriculum included liberal arts such as Trivium (grammar, rhetoric, logic) and Quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music).

In simple words: The first universities started as church schools but soon became places where people studied everything from logic to astronomy to prepare for professional careers.

📝 Teacher's Note: Explain that "Liberal Arts" were subjects considered essential for a free person to participate in civic life.

🎯 Exam Tip: Mentioning "Bologna" as the "mother of universities" is a specific detail that shows thorough study.

Find It Out. (Textbook Page No. 8)

Question. Make a list of the European countries where the Industrial Revolution spread in its first stage.
Answer: The industrial revolution first began in Britain in the late 1770s and first spread to Belgium followed by France and the German states and in North America.
In simple words: After starting in Britain, factories and machine-making quickly moved to nearby countries like Belgium, France, and Germany.

📝 Teacher's Note: Show these countries on a map to demonstrate how industrialization moved geographically from island Britain to mainland Europe.

🎯 Exam Tip: Note that while it started in Europe, it also moved to North America in the "first stage."

Project (Textbook Page No. 9)

Question. Collect detailed information about the voyages of Bartholomew Dias and Vasco da- Gama and read it aloud in the class.
Answer:

(A) Bartholomew Dias:

• Bartholomew Dias was a Portuguese explorer.
• He was the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa which the Portuguese would name as the ‘Cape of Good Hope.
• Dias and his crew departed from Lisbon, Portugal in August 1487 with three ships.
• Dias’s expedition sailed along the African coast following the route of Diogo Cao who had earlier sailed along the African coast in the 1480s.
• Near the southern tip of Africa Dias’s 3 ships sailed into a dangerous storm that pushed them away from the African coast. They sailed around the tip of Africa in January 1488 without seeing the land.
• After 30 days without seeing land, he entered what he named Aguada de Sao Bras (Bay of Saint Blaise) in February 1488.
• Dias wanted to continue to India but he was forced to turn back when his crew refused to go further and the rest of the officers favored going back home.
• It was on his return journey that he actually discovered the Cape of Good Hope in May 1488.
• Dias returned to Lisbon in December 1488 after an absence of 16 months and 17 days.

(B) Vasco da Gama:

• Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea.
• His initial voyage to India was the first to link Europe and Asia by an ocean route, connecting the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and therefore the West and the Orient.
• This discovery is considered to be a milestone in world history.
• Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India opened the way for an age of imperialism in Asia.
• Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut, India on May 20, 1498.
• This boosted the economy of the Portuguese Empire.
• Vasco da Gama led the two of the India Armadas, the first and the fourth.
• In 1524, Vasco da Gama was appointed as Governor of India, with the title of Viceroy, and was ennobled as Count of Vidigueria in 1519.

In simple words: Dias found the way around Africa, and then Vasco da Gama used that path to actually reach India. This changed the world because Europe could now trade with India by sea instead of land.

📝 Teacher's Note: Contrast the two explorers: Dias did the "hard part" of finding the path, but Vasco da Gama "finished the job" by reaching India.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember the date May 20, 1498, for Vasco da Gama's landing in Calicut; it is one of the most important dates in Indian history.