The coming of the printing press must have seemed as if it would turn the world upside down in the way it spread and, above all, democratized knowledge. Provide you could pay and read, what was on the shelves in the new bookshops was yours for the taking. The speed with which printing presses and their operators fanned out across Europe is extraordinary. From the single Mainz press of 1457, it took only twenty-three years to establish presses in 110 towns: 50 in Italy, 30 in Germany, 9 in France, 8 in Spain, 8 in Holland, 4 in England, and so on.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the transformative power of the printing press and its impact on knowledge dissemination. It suggests that the printing press revolutionized the world by making knowledge accessible to a wider audience, thus democratizing education. The quote also highlights the rapid expansion of printing presses across Europe, demonstrating the widespread adoption of this new technology and its ability to rapidly spread information. Overall, the quote showcases the significant and far-reaching consequences of the invention of the printing press.

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