Before the printing press, every book was written by hand! Monks copied books one letter at a time, and one book could take a whole year to finish. Books were so rare and expensive that most people never owned one.
Around the year 1450, a German man named Johannes Gutenberg built the printing press. It used little metal letters called type. Workers arranged the letters, rolled ink over them, and pressed paper on top. Suddenly, they could print a page again and again!
Books became faster and cheaper to make. More people learned to read. Ideas spread across the world like never before. Many people call the printing press one of the greatest inventions ever.
1. How were books made before the printing press?
2. Who built the printing press, and about when?
3. How did the printing press work?
4. What changed after the printing press was invented?
Write what each word means in your own words.
Write B (before) or A (after) for each sentence.
| Sentence | B or A? |
|---|---|
| Books are copied by hand, one letter at a time. | |
| Books are fast and cheap to make. | |
| Most people never own a book. | |
| More and more people learn to read. | |
| One book takes a year to finish. | |
| Ideas spread quickly around the world. |
Write T for true or F for false in each circle.
1. Before the press, books were written by .
2. Johannes built the printing press.
3. The metal letters were called .
4. Workers rolled over the letters.
5. Then they pressed paper down on the printing .
6. After the press, more people learned to .
1. Count the books in your home. Imagine each one took a YEAR to copy by hand. Why are books everywhere now?
2. What is your favorite book? How would your life be different without books?
| I learned... | Circle one |
|---|---|
| How books were made before the press | YES / NOT YET |
| How the printing press worked | YES / NOT YET |
| Why the printing press changed the world | YES / NOT YET |