Historian Dr. Nina Patel investigated the late adoption of the printing press in the sixteenth-century Ottoman Empire. While some scholars argue that the delay was primarily driven by religious opposition to print technology, Patel contends that the barrier was economic: because the production of hand-copied manuscripts was highly decentralized and supported by a vast guild system, the high initial capital required to establish print shops made printed books financially uncompetitive against cheap, scribe-produced manuscripts.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support Patel's contention?
- ASixteenth-century documents indicate that Ottoman scribes possessed high literacy rates and often held influential positions within local government administration.
- BOfficial decrees from sixteenth-century Ottoman authorities strictly regulated the types of secular texts that could be legally printed, leaving religious texts to be produced exclusively by scribes.
- During the sixteenth century, the market price of a hand-copied manuscript in the Ottoman Empire was consistently lower than the estimated retail price of a printed book of comparable length.Answer
- DOttoman merchants who attempted to import printed books from Europe reported that the books were highly sought after by local academic institutions.
Answer
The finding that the market price of a hand-copied manuscript was consistently lower than the estimated retail price of a printed book of comparable length.
The correct answer supports the historian's claim by showing that the price of scribe-produced manuscripts was lower than that of printed books. This directly aligns with the argument that print shops faced high capital barriers that prevented printed books from competing financially with cheaper hand-copied texts.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Identifying textual evidence that directly supports a specific research hypothesis.
Estimated Time:1m 30s