Johannes Gutenberg and The Printing Press

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The printing press was invented in 1453. The movable printing technology was invented in China in 1040 but Johannes Gutenberg was able to perfect this technology by creating the Gutenberg printer in 1440. The printer was a movable type. A movable type was where individual blocks could be set up in order to print almost anything. Before this, wooden blocks, carved by hand were used to print things. These blocks would have consisted of what the individual wanted to print which would take an incredible amount of time. Gutenberg’s invention of a movable type printer established the ability for mass communication.
The Gutenberg printer consisted of a base that was constructed out of wood that provided a stable platform for the printing process. This required pressing paper onto ink typed heads. A holder, which was also constructed of wood, was there to hold the paper in place for use to be pressed against the ink types. The paper was sandwiched between two frames and was placed on a wedge so that the paper could be easily removed and the ink types could be replaced. Once solid, letters were affixed on the top of rectangular stalks, which themselves were slotted into a rectangular container in order. Individual letters were made by pouring a lead-tin alloy into a copper mold. The paper was then placed on top of the rectangular container and pressed upon the inked type with a heavy screw clamp.
The printer was created by Gutenberg in 1450. Before this, however, Gutenberg was in financial trouble. He had lost a lot of money by investing in creating items for an exhibit that presented religious artifacts but before he could sell anything, the exhibit was closed. In order to keep the investors happy Gutenberg supposedly unveiled th...

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...nues to this day.

Works Cited

1. Ament, Phil. "History of the Printing Press - Invention of the Printing Press." History of the Printing Press - Invention of the Printing Press. Troy MI: ©1997-2007, n.d. Web. 1 May 2014.

2. Hanebutt-Benz, Eva-Maria. "Gutenberg Und Seine Zeit: Gutenberg Und Mainz." Gutenberg Und Seine Zeit: Gutenberg Und Mainz. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2014.

3. How It Works Team. "See inside the Gutenberg Printing Press | How It Works Magazine." How It Works Magazine. How It Works Team, 24 Jan. 2012. Web. 1 May 2014.

4. Knauer, Kelly. "Gutenberg's Printing Press - 1440." Gutenberg's
Printing Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2014.
5. Man, John, and John Man. Gutenberg: How One Man Remade the World With Words. New York: Wiley, 2002.
6. McLuhan, Marshall. The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Typographic Man. [Toronto]: University of Toronto Press, 1962.

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