The world of the 15th century had become a powder keg of ideas, commerce, invention and renaissance in the arts. The old world was being left behind as a new, more hopeful and brighter future dawned. The printing press of Johannes Gutenberg brought with it the ability to print books and pamphlets at a speed and in quantities never seen before. Information and ideas could circulate through Europe, gathering pace as they went. Gutenberg's inventiveness brought together the right elements, in the right place, at the right time. But if that moment had never happened, the world could have remained trapped in time.
What might have stopped Gutenberg developing his invention?
Johannes Gutenberg's invention, the printing press with moveable type, was the solution to a well-known problem: how best to exploit a growing market in books? It was a race, and in 1455, with the printing of his Bible, Gutenberg won. But it was a close-run thing.
In the early 15th century, when Gutenberg was young, the production of books had brought Christians ever further and ever faster out of the dark ages that had clouded Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Produced by scribes, books - most of them religious were easier to read with brightly coloured capitals and chapter divisions. As trade links grew and towns evolved, ordinary people wanted schools and books for their children. The rich built libraries and needed books to fill them. Similar demands came from new universities. Latin was the language of the Church, but increasingly people wanted information in their own language: instruction manuals, verses, histories, legends. Europe was on the verge of the Renaissance.
But scribes were slow and expensive. So, books were also printed in a simple way, with wood blocks engraved in reverse then smeared with ink, and covered with paper, which was pressed firmly to transfer the image.
Denne historien er fra Issue 132-utgaven av All About History UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Issue 132-utgaven av All About History UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE
Guy Ritchie's entertaining WWII thriller throws light on Operation Postmaster
SURVIVING A FINANCIAL CRISIS
Jame DiBiasio explores how financiers can learn from the mistakes of the past
FORT KNOX BULLION DEPOSITORY
United States 1937-present
MUSSOLINI HAD JOINED THE ALLIES?
Driven by ambition, Italy's participation in the Axis war effort led to the collapse of its empire, the fall of the Fascist Party and Mussolini's death Interview
BATTLE OF DETTINGEN
DETTINGEN (MODERN-DAY KARLSTEIN AM MAIN, GERMANY), 27 JUNE 1743
THE USSR's FAKE OLYMPICS,
Having boycotted the 1984 games in Los Angeles, the Soviet Union hosted its own competition
Hürrem Sultan
From slave girl to imperial consort, how one girl captured the heart of an emperor to become the most powerful woman in Ottoman history
OVERTHROWING THE MONGOLS
How a Buddhist rebellion toppled the mighty empire and began the rise of the Ming dynasty Written
MAKING A MONSTER
Natalie Lawrence explores the creation of enchanted creatures through 15,000 years of history Interview
SECRETS OF THE PYRAMIDS
From sacred rituals to hidden treasure, uncover why these world wonders were built