Johnnes Gutenberg

Johnnes Gutenberg was a blacksmith and goldsmith in Europe during the early Renaissance. His father was a merchant who worked in a mint, which was how Gutenberg learned to be a blacksmith and goldsmith. Not much is known about Gutenberg’s young life or his education. In the year 1439 Gutenberg was working on some polished mirrors that were going to be in a display. He had thought of a way to make a printing press in 1439, but he did not invent it until 1444. The printing press used a special type that could be moved and reused. Gutenberg’s printing press had 290 different slots that contained important characters. He also made an oil based ink which was more durable than the water based ink. Gutenberg’s press enabled him to undergo another project, which was printing the entire Bible so that everyone could have a copy to read for themselves. Only 48 of these copies remain and only 21 of them are complete. Before long, several people made copies of Gutenberg’s press and began to publish broadsheets, which were the first newspapers. The printing press with movable type was a revolutionary invention, and it helped ideas to spread much faster.