Printing

Printing started during the renaissance from the 1300’s to the 1600’s. It was a period of great intellectual activity and books were in great demand.

It solved many problems and Asia discovered it before the Europeans who only discovered it in the 1400’s. The first printers made playing cards by block “block printing”. A card was carved in on a piece of wood then the inked image was pressed against it and this same method was used for books.

Movable type of printing made life easier for printers; the letters could be separated, re-arranged and used again. Gutenberg was the one who invented the first printing press in Europe and it became the most important means of mass communication in Europe. However people thought it was black magic because it was too quick and they wondered why all books looked exactly the same. So they decided to print Bibles and religious books. As a result people started to question the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Churches were then established.

(For more information on printing, see detailed printing)

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