Introduction
Imagine a world without literacy, the spreading of facts and education. Johannes Gutenberg's spectacular invention of the printing press is very crucial to the world today. Our world would not be as advanced in literature, technology, and many other concepts if there were not an efficient way to educate people about new information. For the majority of the world to know many things, there needs to be a simple way to spread around ideas. Now we have the ability of using the internet, thanks to Johannes Gutenberg because he took the initiative into this process and this is the result. For centuries all we had were books, and they were rare, but growing more affordable from Johannes’s invention of the printing press.
Imagine a world without literacy, the spreading of facts and education. Johannes Gutenberg's spectacular invention of the printing press is very crucial to the world today. Our world would not be as advanced in literature, technology, and many other concepts if there were not an efficient way to educate people about new information. For the majority of the world to know many things, there needs to be a simple way to spread around ideas. Now we have the ability of using the internet, thanks to Johannes Gutenberg because he took the initiative into this process and this is the result. For centuries all we had were books, and they were rare, but growing more affordable from Johannes’s invention of the printing press.
Childhood
Johannes was a mysterious man, he lived in a house called The Gutenberg House in Mainz, Germany. The date of his birth is uncertain, but historians deem that he was born between 1394-1399. Johannes’s parents were named Friele and Else Gensfleisch. He had two older siblings, named after their parents. Friele and Else, a boy and a girl. Johannes’s last name was not Gutenberg, his house was called The Gutenberg house, having more than one Johannes in his family, the townspeople called him Johannes of Gutenberg, subsequently he became known as Johannes Gutenberg and that is how we know him today. There is not a lot of knowledge known today about Johannes Gutenberg's childhood, but we know he lived a stable life as a young boy.
Johannes was born into a wealthy family. Friele, Johannes’s father, was a merchant and was in The Society of the Production of Coins. Friele had the luxury of giving his children an education as many peasants did not have this advantage. Johannes and his siblings probably went to a church run school. Church run schools were usually better than town run schools. Church run schools were idolized by many people. Johannes became obsessed with his fathers work as a coin producer and later took the career of a gemstone cutter. Johannes Gutenberg was very well educated and wealthy.
Johannes was a mysterious man, he lived in a house called The Gutenberg House in Mainz, Germany. The date of his birth is uncertain, but historians deem that he was born between 1394-1399. Johannes’s parents were named Friele and Else Gensfleisch. He had two older siblings, named after their parents. Friele and Else, a boy and a girl. Johannes’s last name was not Gutenberg, his house was called The Gutenberg house, having more than one Johannes in his family, the townspeople called him Johannes of Gutenberg, subsequently he became known as Johannes Gutenberg and that is how we know him today. There is not a lot of knowledge known today about Johannes Gutenberg's childhood, but we know he lived a stable life as a young boy.
Johannes was born into a wealthy family. Friele, Johannes’s father, was a merchant and was in The Society of the Production of Coins. Friele had the luxury of giving his children an education as many peasants did not have this advantage. Johannes and his siblings probably went to a church run school. Church run schools were usually better than town run schools. Church run schools were idolized by many people. Johannes became obsessed with his fathers work as a coin producer and later took the career of a gemstone cutter. Johannes Gutenberg was very well educated and wealthy.
Challenges and achievements
Johannes Gutenberg enjoyed his work but he became interested in fixing an education mystery. He eventually came to realize that there was an education gap. Only wealthy people received education, because books were very expensive. Why? Because every single book in Europe was hand written. It would take authors a long time to write one book. Therefore authors would price their books for large sums of money, making it hard for poor to get an education. Gutenberg wanted to invent a mechanical press that could be reused and produce a gross amount of books. Gutenberg began to try and create the printing press. Johannes wanted to be the first one to make a printing press, so he kept his project a secret. Eventually the employees of his gemstone cutting shop found out, so Johannes took them in as assistants in the project. Johannes kept working on the printing press with his assistants.
Johannes Gutenberg enjoyed his work but he became interested in fixing an education mystery. He eventually came to realize that there was an education gap. Only wealthy people received education, because books were very expensive. Why? Because every single book in Europe was hand written. It would take authors a long time to write one book. Therefore authors would price their books for large sums of money, making it hard for poor to get an education. Gutenberg wanted to invent a mechanical press that could be reused and produce a gross amount of books. Gutenberg began to try and create the printing press. Johannes wanted to be the first one to make a printing press, so he kept his project a secret. Eventually the employees of his gemstone cutting shop found out, so Johannes took them in as assistants in the project. Johannes kept working on the printing press with his assistants.
Not the Only One
Johannes Gutenberg was not the only one that was trying to create the printing press. Long before Gutenberg was alive, the Chinese and the Koreans found a simpler way to print. They would carve the desired picture or page of a book they wanted to print onto a block of wood. This was called woodblock printing. It was not the most efficient way of printing because if the block moved the smallest inch the ink would smear. They could not sell that page because it was ruined. The Chinese never accomplished the invention of a mechanical printing press. Though many people were attempting to create mechanical type, Gutenberg was the only one who accomplished the creation of movable type.
Johannes Gutenberg was not the only one that was trying to create the printing press. Long before Gutenberg was alive, the Chinese and the Koreans found a simpler way to print. They would carve the desired picture or page of a book they wanted to print onto a block of wood. This was called woodblock printing. It was not the most efficient way of printing because if the block moved the smallest inch the ink would smear. They could not sell that page because it was ruined. The Chinese never accomplished the invention of a mechanical printing press. Though many people were attempting to create mechanical type, Gutenberg was the only one who accomplished the creation of movable type.
How it works
The Gutenberg press was not immensely complicated to operate, but it was tedious work. His press was superior for producing gross amounts of literature. The printing press was made out of wood and it appeared to look like a long table with a hollow box. The long table was for preparing the press, paper, and ink. First, Johannes had to prepare the page he wanted to print. He did this by taking metal blocks with letters on them and arranging them into words and sentences. Some blocks had no letters, this was because they were for spaces. Gutenberg would then spread the ink on the letters. He would then press down a sheet of paper and that was how you could produce an immense amount of books.Though painstaking work, it was a lot easier than hand writing a book!
The Gutenberg press was not immensely complicated to operate, but it was tedious work. His press was superior for producing gross amounts of literature. The printing press was made out of wood and it appeared to look like a long table with a hollow box. The long table was for preparing the press, paper, and ink. First, Johannes had to prepare the page he wanted to print. He did this by taking metal blocks with letters on them and arranging them into words and sentences. Some blocks had no letters, this was because they were for spaces. Gutenberg would then spread the ink on the letters. He would then press down a sheet of paper and that was how you could produce an immense amount of books.Though painstaking work, it was a lot easier than hand writing a book!
Conclusion
Johannes’s wealthy family granted him a wonderful education, he was inspired by his father's career and created the first printing press. Who would know that the earth travels around the sun if there were not a simple way educate people. Johannes Gutenberg solved that problem by creating the printing press. This invention is wonderful to the citizens of the world.
Johannes’s wealthy family granted him a wonderful education, he was inspired by his father's career and created the first printing press. Who would know that the earth travels around the sun if there were not a simple way educate people. Johannes Gutenberg solved that problem by creating the printing press. This invention is wonderful to the citizens of the world.