Printing Press
Definition
The printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium (such as paper or cloth), thereby transferring the ink. It marked a revolution in communication and greatly impacted society by spreading literacy.
Analogy
Imagine if you had to handwrite all your text messages instead of typing them out quickly on your phone - tedious right? That's what life was like before the printing press! It's like going from sending snail mail to instant messaging overnight!
Related terms
Woodblock Printing: A technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China around AD 200-300.
Typography: The art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable and appealing when displayed.
Mass Communication: The process by which individuals and entities relay public information through mass media to large segments of the population at the same time. The printing press was a key tool in the evolution of mass communication.
"Printing Press" appears in:
Practice Questions (6)
- What significant role did Johannes Gutenberg's printing press play during the Renaissance?
- What major impact did the printing press have on European society after its development in the 15th century?
- What significant impact did the printing press invention have on European society around mid-15th century?
- How did the printing press change European societies in the Renaissance era?
- What was a significant cultural impact of the printing press invention in Europe during the Renaissance?
- What was a primary impact of the printing press on society in the Industrial Age?
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