The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440 was a huge change during the Renaissance period. It made knowledge much easier to get.

Before the printing press, books were copied by hand. This took a long time and made books very rare and expensive. But once the printing press was introduced, the number of books being made went up a lot.

1. More Books Produced:

   • Before the printing press, there were about 30,000 books in all of Europe.
   • By 1500, over 12 million books had been printed. This shows that books became much easier to find.

2. Lower Prices:

   • Books became much cheaper.
   • For example, a handwritten Bible might have cost as much as a laborer’s yearly salary. But a printed Bible could be bought for less than a month’s pay.

3. Variety of Topics:

   • The printing press helped share all kinds of texts. This included science books, stories, and religious writings.
   • By 1500, more than 30,000 different book titles were printed in Europe.

4. More People Could Read:

   • As more books became available, more people learned to read.
   • Estimates show that between 1450 and 1600, reading skills among men in Europe went from about 10% to 60%.

5. Effects on Culture:

   • People could share and discuss ideas more easily.
   • This led to important movements like the Reformation and the Enlightenment, which helped change how people thought during the Renaissance.

In short, the printing press played an important role in making knowledge available to everyone. It changed society and how people thought during the Renaissance.