๐ Inventions and machines ๐ก Communication
Printing
๐ In short
Printing is a way of making lots of copies of words and pictures on paper. We use it to make books, newspapers, magazines, posters and even money. Before printing was invented, people copied books by hand, letter by letter, and one book took months!
๐คฉ Did you know?
- Gutenberg's press could produce about 300 copies a day.
- The oldest known European picture was printed from a wooden block in 1423.
- Printing as we know it began about 500 years ago.
- One of the first books Gutenberg printed was a big religious book.
๐ Find out more
๐ Block printing
The Chinese began printing by carving words and pictures on blocks of wood, inking them and pressing them onto paper. But every page needed a new block.
๐ Movable type
About 500 years ago the German Gutenberg made a printing press with small separate metal letters that could be arranged to make any page and then used again. Books became faster and cheaper to make.
๐ก Printing today
Today huge machines print thousands of newspapers an hour, and small printers at home and school print what we type on the computer, with ink or lasers.
๐ฏ 3D printing
Today there are amazing printers called 3D printers that print real solid toys and tools, layer upon layer of plastic!
๐ธ More pictures
๐งฉ Test yourself
1 How were books made before printing?
2 Who made the metal movable-type press in Europe?
3 Gutenberg's press could produce about ?? copies a day.
4 Which picture shows โPrintingโ?