pivotal role in social, economic and political life 
led to reformation, revolution 
how? why? 

vehicle to spread information + ideas 
martin luther 
95 thesis 
enlightenment 
rights of man

influenced by eastern trade (china) 
developed by johann gutenberg (1387 -1468) 
mainz, germany in 1450

writing > type 
[through blockprint] 
then moveable press 
economical 
multiple 
paper substrate

40 / 42 lines 
used textura (took examples from hand scripts) 
superb legibility 

europe began to emerge from medieval period 
“rebirth” 
why an interest in learning? 

germany, late 1400s 

civil unrest 
caused people to flee 
took printing + other technologies with them