Think of your favorite book. How long would it take you to copy it by hand? Would it take hours? Days? Months?

    Believe it or not, there was a time when most books were made this way. In the early 1400s, there were no bookstores. Public libraries didn’t really exist either. If you wanted a book, it would have to be made by a scribe. That’s a person whose job it was to write out texts by hand.

    Scribes used quills—feathers plucked from large birds. Their tips were sharpened with a knife. To write, scribes dipped the quills in ink. If they made a mistake, they gently scraped away a bit of paper to erase it. 

    A scribe’s painstaking work could take months—even years. It was also very expensive. Because of this, only the rich could afford to own books. 

    Think of your favorite book. What if you had to copy it by hand? Would it take
hours? Days? Months?

    That’s how most books were made in the past. In the early 1400s, there were no bookstores. Public libraries didn’t really exist. If you wanted a book, a scribe made it. Scribes were paid to write out texts by hand.

    Scribes used quills. Those are feathers from large birds. The tips were sharpened. To write, scribes dipped the quills in ink. What if they made a mistake? They scraped away a bit of paper to erase it. 

    A scribe’s painstaking work could take months or years. It was expensive too. Only the rich could afford to own books. 

    Think of your favorite book. How long would it take you to copy it by hand—hours? Days? Months?

    Believe it or not, there was a time when most books were made this way. In the early 1400s, there were no bookstores, and libraries didn’t really exist either. If you wanted a book, it would have to be made by a scribe—a person whose job it was to write out texts by hand.

    Scribes used quills—feathers plucked from large birds. Their tips were sharpened with a knife. To write, scribes dipped the quills in ink. If they made a mistake, they gently scraped away a bit of paper to erase it. 

    A scribe’s painstaking work could take months—even years. It was also very expensive. Because of this, only the rich could afford to own books. 

    But in 1436, all of that changed. A German man named Johannes Gutenberg had an idea. He was a blacksmith, or someone who worked with metal. He wondered: Could there be a better way to print?

    That changed in 1436. A German man, Johannes Gutenberg, had an idea. He was a blacksmith, someone who worked with metal. He wondered: Could there be a better way to print?

    But in 1436, all of that changed. A German man named Johannes Gutenberg had an idea. He was a blacksmith, or someone who works with metal, and he wondered: Could there be a better way to print?

    Gutenberg didn’t just change printing. He changed the world. Before the printing press, there were only about 30,000 books in all of Europe. About 50 years later, that number was closer to 9 million.

    Books had become cheaper and easier to get. Ordinary people could learn to read and write. As literacy spread, so did new ideas. For example, the Catholic Church had long held a great deal of power over people’s lives in Europe. Now those people were able to share writings that called for change. 

    The printing press also helped fuel a period in Europe called the Renaissance. This was an explosion of new ideas, artwork, and scientific discovery. During this time, William Shakespeare wrote some of his most famous plays. Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa. Scientists invented the microscope. 

    As for Gutenberg, he didn’t become famous during his lifetime. He also died fairly poor—without even a tombstone to mark his grave.

    But if he were alive today, he’d probably be proud. Thanks to his invention, the world became richer in many ways. 

    Gutenberg changed printing. He changed the world too. Before the printing press, there were about 30,000 books in Europe. About 50 years later, it was more like 9 million.

    Books were cheaper. They were easier to get. More people learned to read and write. Literacy spread. New ideas spread. For example, the Catholic Church was very powerful in Europe. It had control over people’s lives. Now people could share writings that called for change.

    The printing press also fueled a period in Europe called the Renaissance. This was a time of new ideas, artwork, and scientific discovery. William Shakespeare wrote his famous plays. Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa. Scientists invented the microscope.

    Gutenberg wasn’t famous when he was alive. He died poor. 

    But if he were alive today, he’d probably be proud. His invention made the world richer in many ways. 

    Gutenberg didn’t just change printing—he also changed the world. Before the printing press, there were only about 30,000 books in all of Europe. About 50 years later, that number was closer to 9 million.

    Books had become cheaper and easier to get, which allowed ordinary people to learn to read and write. As literacy spread, so did new ideas. For example, the Catholic Church had long held a great deal of power over people’s lives in Europe. Now those people were able to share writings that called for change.

    The printing press also helped fuel a period in Europe called the Renaissance. This was an explosion of new ideas, artwork, and scientific discovery. During this time, William Shakespeare wrote some of his most famous plays, Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, and scientists invented the microscope.

    As for Gutenberg, he didn’t become famous during his lifetime. He also died fairly poor—without even a tombstone to mark his grave.

    But if he were alive today, he’d probably be proud. Thanks to his invention, the world became richer in many ways.