How Gutenberg Invented the Printing Press? – goodfair.xyz – The invention of the printing press was an important event in human history because it was the impetus for the emergence of the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment.
The reason is, the invention of the printing press allowed information to spread more quickly throughout Europe to promote cultural renewal. The presence of the printing press also symbolizes that knowledge is no longer the exclusive property of a certain elite.
This is evidenced by the increase in literacy in European society, which ultimately challenged the power of the rich, nobles and church, who became the most educated in the Middle Ages. This historical event cannot be separated from the role of Johannes Gutenberg , the inventor of the first printing press . So, what is the story of Gutenberg’s journey to discover the printing press?
Starting from a creative idea
Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1450. However, this historic discovery was realized after a fairly long process.
Gutenberg began experimenting with printing in 1438, while he was still living in Strasbourg, France. He thought that printing from blocks pressed onto sheets of printing paper was indeed better than simply copying manuscripts.
However, this method took a very long time because the wood blocks had to be worked on carefully and could only print one particular page.
Based on his experience as a metal craftsman, Gutenberg thought that if blocks of wood could be used to form printed letters, metal plates should also be used for a similar purpose.
According to him, the use of metal will speed up the re-creation process after a character has been successfully formed. From there, Gutenberg became the first person to make molds from a mixture of lead, tin and antimony to produce more durable molds.
This new idea of ​​using metal plates will certainly be more practical, rather than having to carve blocks of wood.
The birth of Gutenberg’s printing press
In 1448, Gutenberg moved his workshop to Mainz, his hometown in Germany. It was in that city that he perfected his invention and assembled his first printing machine.
After going through a series of preparations and experiments, in 1450 Gutenberg’s first printing press was operational. Gutenberg was the first person to make molds from metal alloys to produce movable type models.
Although movable type molds had been known in Asia hundreds of years earlier, Gutenberg’s innovation was to develop a system of casting and metal alloying that made production easier.
Instead of individually carved blocks of wood, Gutenberg made metal molds of each letter or symbol into which he could pour ink. These letters can be formed into words or sentences. Gutenberg also introduced oil-based inks that were more durable than the liquid-based inks used at that time.
