How Printing Educated the Poor

In 1455 the moveable type printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg was a game changer for those not fortunate enough to have access to writing previously. The moveable type printing press used set groups of metal type blocks in order to form words and sentences. The blocks were constricted and then covered in ink. A sheet of paper would then be laid over the blocks and passed over a roller to transfer the ink onto the paper.

Johannes Gutenberg
Moveable-type Printing Press

This introduced a quality of speed to printing that was revolutionary to the process of creating books. Since the process was so much faster, printing became much cheaper and much more accessible. Now that books were being produced more widely and for cheaper cost, low income people now had access to reading and writing like they hadn’t before.

Gutenberg’s first printed book: The 42-line Bible

This development was revolutionary as it was what began the reaching of knowledge to all walks of life, causing a more educated society that lead to new inventions and new discoveries. The Printing Press is still a tool we use today and it is definitely a tool that surely changed many lives at this period.

Works Cited

Bellis, Mary. “Biography of Johannes Gutenberg, Inventor of the Printing Press.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 21 July 2019, https://www.thoughtco.com/johannes-gutenberg-and-the-printing-press-1991865.