Outline Printing Press Humanities 303

“The Introduction of the Printing Press and the Effects on Humanity and our World Today.”
Student Name
Devry University
HUMN 303: Introduction to Humanities
Summer 2012

“The Introduction of the Printing Press and the Effects on Humanity and our World Today.”

I. Table of Contents II. Introduction
Technology such as the printing press of the past impacts every avenue of society today. Just as, the Internet of today has empowered members of society by allowing greater access to information, the printing press paved the way to such technologies. “For the first time, just about anybody can distribute the same message to hundreds or thousands of people and does so very easily and inexpensively. As overhyped as the Internet often seems to be, there is a fundamental difference about it as a communications medium that has not been seen since the introduction of print.” (Baron, Lindquist & Shevlin, 2007, p. 353) III. The invention of the Printing Press 1. About the inventor Johannes Gutenberg. 2. About the progression of his invention in his lifetime. IV. The advancements of the Printing Press, beyond Johannes Gutenberg. Until 1850 1. What progressions of the invention were made in this time? 2. How wide was the use of the Printing Press during this time? V. The effects the Printing Press had on humanities from 1450 -1850 1. How was knowledge print more readily available to all classes of citizens? 2. What was the effect on literacy and education in this time period? VI. The advancements of the Printing Press beyond 1850 until present (only mildly touching on electronic reading) 1. The advent of the steam engine, and its effects on the Printing Press. 2. The advent of the computer, and personal printer. VII. The Printing Presses Relation to the humanities in the time beyond 1850. 1. How did the increased production of print due to the advent of the steam engine affect humanities of the time? 2. How did the increased production of print due to the advent of the computer and personal printer affect humanities currently? VIII. The advent of the electronic reader and its progression today. 3. How did this new progression of the earlier invention parallel the earlier invention in terms of providing society with accessibility? 4. Specify the accessibilities and the ease of use with the new readers as well as the cost effectiveness of the new production of books? IX. Conclusion
The Printing press was a stepping stone of knowledge and a tool that helped to break the barriers of classism in cultures all over the world. From the fledgling moments of its birth the profound impact that it would have on humans was always understood. Today we sit on the edge of another ground breaking invention the internet, and digital media. These inventions were made possible by the foresight of such inventions as electricity, electronics, microchips and the printing press. The positive impact of such creations is endless, and the future impact on humanity is only bound by the humans that forge forward with all that they have to offer.

Annotated Bibliography
Johns, A. (1998). The Nature of the Book. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press.
Johns focuses on the interaction between science and print. He examines their roles, both supportive and antagonistic, in the production and dissemination of knowledge. The progression of knowledge depended on the accuracy and legitimacy of printed findings. Print also could be used to manipulate those findings for religious and political. Johns comprises a totally original and clear picture of print culture and its many arenas--commercial, intellectuals, political, and individuals.
Baron, S. A., Lindquist, E. N., & Shevlin, E. F. (2007). Agent of Change: Print Culture Studies after Elizabeth L. Eisenstein. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press.
This resource expands on an already abundant resource “The Printing Press as an Agent of Change” It takes the gap of 28 years and expands on the up to date effects the Print culture has had on society. This is noteworthy because, in the 28 years that the internet has reached maturity it has created a similar effect as the printing press did in the 16th century. This resource also expands on the contribution to humanity and the impact on modern culture. The printing press itself may not contribute to humanity as an instrument in literal terms, the books that it produced certainly did. In addition to examining the book written by Elizabeth L. Eisenstein, this book includes contributions renowned scholars such as Peng Hwa Ang, Tony Ballantyne, Vivek Bhandari, Barbara A. Brannon, Antonio Rodriguez-Buckingham, Roger Chartier, James A. Dewar, Robert A. Gross, David Scott Kastan, Paula McDowell, Jane McRae, Geoffrey Roper, William H. Sherman, Peter Stallybrass, Arthur Williamson, and Calhoun Winton.
Hall, D. D. (1996). Cultures of Print. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press.
Hall explores the state of knowledge in the areas of printing, literacy, reading, and the effects between learning and popular culture in early America. He speaks of a readers innovation and the evolution of reading and books in America. This is useful for my proposal as it helps to create a sequence of literacy after the revolution of the steam powered printing press.
Eisenstein, E. L. (1979). The Printing Press as an Agent of Change. Cambridge: Univ. Press. This resource is a book in which other books use as a resource. It is profound in its examination of the invention of the Printing Press and the effects it has on society. Professor Eisenstein examines the consequences of the shift from script to print. This resource goes on to assess its role in three of the major movements of early modern times - the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the rise of modern science. Abel, R. (2011). The Gutenberg Revolution: A History of Print Culture. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers.
In this resource, Richard Abel entails the historical nature and the profound cultural impact of the Printing Press. He begins from the 18th century to the Renaissance noting the presence of the new Christian/Classical culture. One of the main contents that printed with this new invention of the Printing Press was religious in nature. The Bible was one of Gutenberg 's personal crusades that he dedicated to syndicating.
Diana Childress, (2008). Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press. 1st ed. e.g. England: Twenty-First Century Books.
Childress in this reference enables me to express the evolution of the Printing press. She discusses Gutenberg’s invention and describes it in detail. She also discusses the circumstances that made Gutenberg’s invention available to more than just him and his business partner. Through the exploration of the evolution of the printing press, she concludes that the cost effective production of books was a deliberate manifestation of Gutenberg himself “He began to see that it was his mission to teach and train workers in the art, make books widely available at a reasonable cost, improve the accuracy and reliability of books and promote learning across Germany and Europe.” (Childress, 2008, p. 95) The further exploration and innovations of the invention in the 1800’s with the advent of the steam engine. In the 1980’s advent of the computer and laser printer technologies construed further technologies steaming from the Printing Press.

Bibliography: Johns, A. (1998). The Nature of the Book. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press. Hall, D. D. (1996). Cultures of Print. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press.