How did Johan Gutenberg change history?

Answer 1

Gutenberg developed the printing press. Before this, reading, and therefore knowledge, was restricted to only the privileged and wealthy - kings, priests, etc etc. ANy printed material needed to be laboriously copied over and over, by various scribes, monks, and so on. Often, 50 different scibes would work to translate and write down a document from one language to another. He did thing to get sued before all this but got out of it. Therefore, printing anything was very expensive and time consuming, and books were rare and highly prized. Since there were no books (so to speak) there was no reason for the average peasant to learn to read. He learned what the priests and kings told him. That changed with the printing press. Books could be printed and reprinted over and over, at minimal cost. Now anyone, once taught, could read. And you never forgot how to read. With knowledge came power - power to resist tyranny, resist religious and social othordoxy, and to learn more about ourselves. Power to the People...