Printing Press Dbq Essay

Ever consider what came out of the printing press when it became a big impact for people?

If it weren’t for the printing press, people wouldn't have heard about the thought provoking accusations that Luther was making. Secondly, the printing press also printed the Gutenberg Bible. This encouraged people to learn how to read, and when they did, they started reading the Bible, the thing their lives were based upon. However, when people read the Bible, they started to question what they had believed for so long, thus starting the Protestant Reformation. According to document B, Germany at the time (between 1518 and 1525) was making about a million books a year , and a third of them were by Luther. This means that it was much easier for Luther to share his ideas, compared to when Paul was trying to spread Catholicism. Because of the printing press, the Protestant Reformation was able to spread much further and much

The printing press was an important factor in the development of the Reformation and Exploration. These both helped in the creation and development of the New World. Invented in the 1450s by Johannes Gutenberg (BGE), the printing press gave many people a new view of the world.In 1471 there were only 15 printing presses, but by 1500 there were over 200.(Doc A.) Many more people became literate and many people developed their own views of religion and what the world looked like. The printing press helped shape the world we live in today, most importantly our religions.

As André Gide once said, “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” During the mid-1400s in Europe, German inventor Johannes Gutenberg created the printing press, a machine that revolutionized the way ideas spread. The printing press quickened the production of books, speeding up the spread of information from one place to another; it also educated people in the areas of reading and writing. However, the two main consequences of the printing press were the Exploration and the Protestant Reformation. Although the Reformation was substantially impacted by the printing press, exploration was a greater consequence of the printing press because it sparked interest in exploration in the European citizens,

(Hook) There have been many milestones that have changed human communication, from the invention of sign language to the development of the internet. (Bridge) One of those milestones was the Printing Press. (Background) The Printing Press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in Germany during the year 1450. By 1500, more than 20 million books were printed. The Printing press made books cheaper and increased the literacy rate in Europe. More people started to take interest in other subjects such as science, geography and religion. The Printing Press also resulted in two consequences: The Protestant Reformation and the Age of Exploration. (Thesis) I believe that the Age of Exploration was the more important result of the Printing Press.

During the early 1500’s and 1600’s, religion and society as a whole went through a dramatic shift. Catholicism dominated Europe in the 1500’s, but that was about to change. The Renaissance time period brought new inventions and a new way of thinking, but also brought new troubles. Martin Luther emerged with a strong opinion against the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church was corrupt and proceeded to get worse. This dramatic religious reformation occurred because of the invention of one man, Yohan Gutenberg. Gutenberg was the inventor of the Printing Press. The Printing Press greatly affected religion in Europe throughout the 1500’s and 1600’s, which resulted in life as it is today. The most important influence the Printing Press had on religion was the production of bibles in vernacular.

In the year 1440, Johannes Gutenberg created the printing press, and his effect on society and the way information was spread can never be overstated in the slightest. This device allowed for more opportunities for literacy and learning to take place. But exactly how much of an impact did Johannes Gutenberg have on the modern world and its technology? Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press was perhaps the most influential device of its time, and changed the modern world as we know it. Gutenberg’s machine allowed for books to be printed and distributed quickly, and mistakes could be fixed in the blink of an eye. We will be looking at the biggest changes Gutenberg’s printing press brought to society.

The printing press benefited the Protestant Reformation enormously by allowing Martin Luther’s message to spread into a mass movement, by removing control of written material from the Catholic Church, and by allowing books to be made quicker and cheaper.

The Protestant Reformation would not have been made possible without the printing press. This innovation allowed ideas to spread further and quicker at rate that was never seen before. Prior to Gutenberg’s invention, the Clergymen held a powerful monopoly over the purchase of books. In spite of that, the press made books cheaper, allowing anyone and everyone to have access to them. As a result, people began to interpret books on their own and have their own independant thoughts which often opposed those of the Church. This was a huge threat to the Church, and as the popularity of the innovation grew, more people distanced themselves from the Church. In addition, the expansion of the University system helped increase the literacy rates because everyone was curious to read these books and gain knowledge from what they were saying. The printing press gave Martin Luther, the most influential figure at the time, a huge advantage.

Europe, a wonderful continent was changed by three things, those three things had some good and some bad affects. Those three things where; humanism, the printing press, and the renaissance art. It changed Europe significantly. Several key events helped bring an end to feudalism and the Middle Ages but these were the main three. First humanism occurred.

Communication is constantly improving, specifically in our technologically advanced world. In the 1450s, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, inspired by Chinese Woodblock printing. It had a significant effect on both reformation and exploration in the Renaissance, as it allowed information to travel efficiently through Europe. While both exploration and reformation benefited from the invention of the printing press, exploration is a stronger reflection of overall Renaissance worldviews.

The printing press and its involvement in the reformation Sometime before 1450 Johann Guttenburg developed the printing press, this invention made the printing of lengthy texts far easier. In the years following Gutenberg’s era to Luther’s, printing as an industry was improving exponentially. The press received mechanical improvements, increasing efficiency. Printing also became a large industry with large facilities dedicated to printing.

The advent of the printing press around 1440 took away the power of the Church over the mostly illiterate masses. The printing press imbued mass communication across Europe and there was a sharp increase in literacy, whereas previously the clergy and religious figures were the only ones able to read and write. By introducing text to the lower classes, social structure was permanently changed with the circulation of new ideas; the lower classes could now read and write, and spread ideas of their own instead of just passively absorbing ideas sent out by the Church (Arthur, 2004). By allowing the spread of new ideas, the printing press helped develop a growing middle class.

The reformation and exploration were important and effected by the printing press. So may say the exploration was more effected by the printing press but really it was the reformation. The printing press made copy's of things at a fast past. So when the 95 theses was weighting everyone got a copy spreading this idea to many people instead of just the church. This helped the reformation by encouraging others to rebel against the church and its sins. Also made the new bible that was made easily accessible for those rebelling. Therefor they could not be fooled again by priest. The printing press insured that if they rebelled they could have there input on the meaning of the bible and know that the church would follow the rules. In other words

“What the world is today, good and bad, it owes it to Gutenberg. Everything can be traced to this source”- Mark Twain (qtd. in Childress 122). Johannes Gutenberg created something that would change the world forever, and it would lead the way for many discoveries and inventions in the future. What he created was called the Gutenberg Printing Press. This invention has proved to be one of the most monumental inventions in history, due to the major impacts left on the world. Originating from Germany, the printing press spread across Europe and the world, paving the way for new technologies and new ways to communicate. The Gutenberg printing press has greatly impacted the world by making communication much easier, which caused the spread of scientific theories, better education, and the spread of different religions.