PRINTERS FROM THE 1600S

THE PRINTING PRESS

• The printing press is a device that applies pressure to an inked surface and transfers the ink to another surface, such as paper or cloth.
• It was typically used for text.

Printing press cont.

• The first printing press was invented around 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
• Before, text was written and copied by hand.
• This new technology spread rapidly because now, book and newspaper production was MUCH faster and more available.

In the new world

• The first press in the Americas was set up in Mexico City a little less then 50 years after Columbus arrived in the New World.
• The first printing press in the present day United States was set up in Cambridgeg, Massachusetts and began printing in 1639, 19 years after the arrival of the Mayflower.

Why New England colonies?

• Printing spread ideas and news, increasing literacy rates so more people could read.
• The Southern Colonies did have education but they mainly focused on agriculture.
• The spread of the printing press gave many people education in a time where it was not extremely common.

How we changed society

• The printing press gave many people quick communication through newspapers so news could travel much faster.
• Faster communicationk led to people such as John Locke, John Wycliffe, and Martian Luther to be able to spread their religious ideas faster and to more people.

how we changed society cont.

• At that time the Church of England wanted control, including the language that the Bible was printed in. (more info on next slide)
• Being able to print so much faster made it harder for the Church to keep control.

Printing of the Bible

• The Church believed that the Bible should only be printed in Latin, and no other language.
• Therefore, the Church feared that printing could threaten their authority since it was so much easier to make thousands of more copies than before.

Printing of the Bible cont.

• Pope Innocent the VIII required that Church authorities check and approve all books before publishing. This was called censorship, and it began in 1487.
• The Bible in any other language but Latin was not approved.
• Martin Luther and others thought that others should be able to have access to the Bible in their language as well.

Affect on America

• Because of the fast news by printing press, religious and political ideas spread quickly around. This led to more people bouncing ideas of independence and rebellion off each other, leading to the Revolutionary War.

AFFECT ON AMERICA cont.

• Because the invention of the printing press made more manufacturing jobs, the North became more industrial South remained focused on agriculture. This also leads to the Civil War because the South was using slaves for agriculture while the North had major industries.

Affect on politics

• Printers printed the news about politics and the community.
• Printing also spread ideas about the Church and religion (as mentioned in the previous slides).
• To make a living we would print things such as newspapers, school books, town announcements.

AFFECTS ON THE ENVIORNMENT

• Printing cuts down many trees because of the high demand and fast production.
• Leftover ink from printing could pollute and poison the rivers and streams, which is not only a environmental problem but a safety hazard.
• The trash from throwing away the newspapers was also a problem, of course pollution was not as severe as today.

the end