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Tim S.
Grade 5 William Penn School Think Quest Junior Team #5729 |
| The oldest printed book known is a Chinese religious book, The Diamond Sutra. Other books like this were printed with wood blocks, usually made from Mulberry wood. Johann Gutenburg invented an actual printing press in 1450, it was a screw press that worked very much like a wine press. He discovered how to make a good ink that would print with metal type. Gutenburg was the first to use a press to print the Bible, it is the oldest full length volume printed. From Gutenburg's press in Mainz, Germany, printing spread all over Europe. |
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Rome developed a printing press in 1465, but, because the rulers of many countries felt that the printed word encouraged people to rebel against their authority, they strictly controlled the amount of material that printers were allowed to produce. Printing did not really grow again until the 18th century. |
| The mechanics of printing changed little between 1450 and the 1800s, when the power press was introduced. By the 1600's the art of printing was used in business. Printed news sheets, called corantos, which were somewhat like newspapers of today. |
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In 1728 Ben Franklin opened his own printing office in Philadelphia,
he had learned about the business of printing while working, since age
12 with his brother James. He was a fully skilled printer by the age of
17. Ben Franklin printed newspaper he called The Pennsylvania Gazette
and the Poor Richard's Almanac.
He had a lot of new ideas for printing, more books and newspapers, he began printing cartoons and illustrated news stories, which he became famous for. He encouraged communication by introducing letters to the editor, and believed in the power of the press. He used his printing press to bring the news to the people. He was an strong supporter of reading and was the founder of the first Public Library in 1731. He wanted to use the printing press to help all people to understand the word around them. |
| Today we use modern versions of these printing presses to print books, magazines, and newspapers. |
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