“What the world is today, good and bad, it owes to Gutenberg. Everything can be traced to this source, but we are bound to bring him homage...for the bad that his colossal invention has brought about is overshadowed a thousand times by the good with which mankind has been favored.”
— Mark Twain, "The Work of Gutenberg," published in Hartford Daily Courant, June 27, 1900, pp. 7.
Revolution: Religion, Culture, Science
With the printing of the First Bible, Martin Luther was able to lead the Protestant Reformation and spread of Protestantism across Europe. Gutenberg’s printing press also had led to the advancement of cultural and scientific aspects of the European societies. By breaking the literacy barrier of Latin and increasing the accessibility of books, the printing press provided illiterate people with an opportunity to learn and prosper. The explosion of ideas and cultures during the Middle Ages, which the printing press had undoubtedly contributed to, led to the Enlightenment of human society, the Renaissance. This also included the spread of scientific and logical ideas, which resulted in the Scientific Revolution.
A painting of thinkers during the Enlightenment era; n.d.; ThoughtCo.
“Conversations with God,” an oil painting of Astronomer Copernicus by Jan Matejko, depicting Nicolaus Copernicus observing
the heavens from a balcony by a tower near the cathedral in Frombork; 1873; Collegium Novum, Jagiellonian University.
An illustration of busy factory during the Industrial Revolution, 2018, McFadden.
Career Shift: Artisans to Technicians
Although the jobs of artisans were taken over by early machines, creating new jobs that commoners could take on. Meanwhile, the quality and value of artisanry were more admired than being diminished. In modern society, the combination of both artisanry and technical machines produces products of the best quality.
An illustration of a medieval scribe at work, which was reproduced from a 15th century miniature, 2019, Harris.
An illustration of emerging role of technicians with the invention of printing press, 2019, Roos.
An early painting of labor-intensive process of printing press, n.d., The History of English.
Bestseller Books & Authors
Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press technology was greatly acknowledged by many insightful people across Europe, and the introduction of the printing press to England led to the widespread publication of Shakespeare’s invaluable works. Literary masterpieces of other great writers were also able to shine the light of legacy the modern society.
Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies,1608.
M. William Shak-speare: His True Chronicle Historie of the life and death of King Lear and his three Daughters, 1608.
M. William Shakespeare:The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke,1605.
Some of the finest works of bestselling author of all time, William Shakespeare collections, 1605-1608, British Library.
A painting of William Shakespeare, 2015, Biography.
History Expert Diane Winans talks about History Questions: How Did the Printing Press Change the World?, 2009, Film maker Kevin Haberer.