1450

History is greatly defined by the applications of inventions to help groups of people. Arguably the most influential invention of the 1400s, let alone 1450, was the printing press created by Johannes Gutenberg that allowed a simpler, more cost effective way of printing (Spielvogel 350). The events and inventions of 1450 served as a catalyst for a gradual turning point in European history that greatly influenced Europe and the world for years to come. The invention of printing led to easy access to the Bible, which in turn sparked a revolution of people making their own religious decisions. Printing with the printing press was simple and fast, allowing books to spread throughout Europe at rates previously unmatched (Gombrich 168). The most popular of these at the time, accounting for around half of the published works, was the Bible (Spielvogel 350). Obtaining a copy allowed individual people to read the text and interpret the Christian, specifically Catholic, religion for themselves. Later, in 1517, when Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, one of his core beliefs was the idea that the Bible was the supreme law (Spielvogel 372). These …show more content…
The printing press allowed more people to access books regarding anything from theology to science to works of fiction. The attainability of books helped to raise the general public’s reading skills and desire to learn (Spielvogel 350). As time progressed and more books were published the demand grew (Spielvogel 350). The desire for both non-fiction, scientific books and fictional novels for pleasure increased dramatically. More and more people were researching and theorizing about the world than in the years before, leading scholars to unify the texts and cooperate to standardize what information was correct and the most important (Spielvogel 350). The following generations were gradually more and more literate and