c. 1450Reputable sourceWell documented
The Printing Press
On the timeline · around c. 1450 ·
What happened
Around 1450 in Germany, Johannes Gutenberg combined movable metal type, oil-based ink, and the press into a machine that could print books quickly and cheaply. His printed Bible showed the way, and within decades printing presses had spread across Europe, producing millions of books.
Why it matters
The printing press was one of the most transformative inventions in history. By making the written word cheap and abundant, it fueled the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the scientific revolution — and it set the pattern for the age of mass communication that, through print, broadcast, and now digital media, reaches everyone today.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Johannes Gutenberg · Reputable source
Related timelines
- The Renaissance → — The printing revolution that spread the Renaissance