The World of Growing Knowledge Class 5 Notes SST

Introduction

• Imagine a time thousands of years ago during the Vedic period in India when wise sages gathered around campfires, sharing stories and knowledge with eager listeners. 
• They didn’t have books like we do today, so they used their voices to pass on important ideas, teachings, and traditions.
• Fast forward to now, and we see how that ancient spark of curiosity has transformed into a vast ocean of knowledge! From the first marks scratched on bhojpatra (a special type of bark) to the invention of paper, the journey of learning has been nothing short of magical.
• Let's dive into the fascinating world of growing knowledge and discover how it has shaped our lives and the way we learn today!

Passing of Knowledge in Vedic Times

• During the Vedic period, humans played an important role in sharing knowledge with future generations.
• In ancient times, sacred texts were created in rhymes, which helped people remember and pass them down.
• Students in Gurukuls, which were traditional Indian schools, would repeatedly recite these texts every day.
• This daily practice helped ensure that the teachings were deeply memorized.

Note: This oral tradition ensured the continuity of learning from one generation to the next.

Early Writings and Scripts

•  In the beginning, humans communicated through drawings before they started using words. 
•  The first forms of writing were pictographic, which used images to show ideas and objects. 
•  Pictographic writing was easier to understand but more difficult to create. 

•  Later, systems of writing based on sounds were developed, leading to the creation of alphabets. 
•  Some writing systems, like those used in Chinese and Japanese, still include pictographic elements today.

Types of Scripts

• In English, communication is accomplished with just 26 alphabets, while an English typewriter typically has around 40 keys. Understanding an ordinary Chinese book requires knowledge of thousands of pictorial symbols. 
• The script used by the people of the Indus Valley civilization can be observed on seals found at excavation sites, but its meaning remains undeciphered.
• Before the Devanagari script used for Hindi, there existed the Brahmi script, as evidenced by the Ashoka edicts on pillars.
• The Devanagari script is phonetic, with each alphabet representing a single sound, unlike English where the same letter may represent different sounds (e.g., 's' in 'sugar' versus 'simple').
• Scripts like Urdu, Arabic, and Persian are written from right to left, while Hindi and English are written from left to right.
• Regional languages in India have their own distinct scripts, marking a progression from pictorial writing to alphabets and words over time.

Counting Systems

Primitive societies employed diverse counting methods; some used pairs, others multiples of fours or fives. Roman numerals, known for their complexity, required more symbols to represent numbers compared to modern systems. The universally adopted place value system assigns different values to numerals based on their placement within a number.

For instance, in 234, 'two' represents 200, 'three' represents 30, and 'four' represents 4.

• The contemporary numeral system using digits 1 to 9 and 0 is credited to ancient Indian mathematics, notably mathematician Aryabhatt.
• The evolution of numeral shapes has varied across time and regions.
• The Arabs learned the place value system from India, referring to the digits as HINDSE in Arabic, derived from India.
• Europeans, introduced to the system by the Arabs, named the digits Arabic numerals, which are now universally used: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0.

Note: Information written on tree barks couldn't be preserved as they could be used by only small number of people and content in books was inconvenient to get due to the lack of duplicates, therefore people had to  travel  long distances to read what was written in book .  The invention of the printing press, pioneered by Johannes Gutenberg of Germany, revolutionized information dissemination.

Gutenberg's first printed Bible was produced on sheepskin, marking a significant advancement in mass communication.

Printing Press and Paper

The Gutenberg press utilized alphabets cast in lead and These alphabets were assembled in frames to create words and sentences. A full frame was dedicated to each page during the printing process.

Gutenberg Press

Process of the Printing Press

• The ink was spread over the lead letters, and the frame was pressed onto a flat surface to create the printed page.
• Nowadays, books and newspapers do not use lead letters anymore; they generate full-page negatives from text created on a computer.
• This modern method allows the printing of many copies in just a few hours.
• Newspaper offices use machines like rotaries to quickly fold and count copies.
• Rotary machines print materials effectively by using spinning cylinders.

Origin of Paper

• Paper is believed to have originated in China around AD 405.
• By 751, it had reached Central Asia, and by 793, it made its way to Baghdad.
• By the 14th century, Europe had numerous paper mills.
• The demand for paper increased significantly with the rise of the printing press.
• Initially, various materials were used for making paper, but wood pulp emerged as a prominent choice.
• Today, paper is not limited to sheets but is also available in roll form.
• Newspapers are printed on large rolls of paper.

What is Braille Language?

• Louis Braille, a saddlemaker's son, developed a special script for the blind.
• Braille's idea was inspired by the raised dots that appeared on leather when pierced with a pincer.
• He realized that combinations of raised dots on thick paper could represent alphabets that the blind could feel.
• Braille books are currently produced using a Printing Press. 
• Individuals like Ph.D. holders, authors, and teachers who are blind have been able to pursue higher education with the help of Braille books.

Literacy in India

• The literacy rate in India is still not fully achieved.
• Workers and artisans who cannot read or write face challenges in their work growth, often staying at 'semi-skilled' positions throughout their careers.
• People who are unskilled and illiterate find it very difficult, typically getting only temporary jobs that pay low wages.

Importance of Literacy for Poverty Alleviation

• Literacy is very important for helping to reduce poverty.
• Improving literacy rates is key to spreading knowledge.
• Addressing illiteracy is a social issue that must be dealt with quickly, especially to help those who are underprivileged.