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The Gutenberg Bible rolled out of the wooden printing press for the first time in 1940. Gutenberg had spent four long and toilsome years inventing and perfecting the machine. Upon his completion he could find no greater work to print out than the Bible. Even though printing had been around since around 868 AD in China, it had never been perfected enough to allow mass production of documents and books. Each page that was printed had to be manually carved into wood, each letter intricately done. Once that was done and several copies made the printer would have to start on a copy of the next page. This made the task quite cumbersome, and manually copying books was more in practice in Gutenberg’s time. Gutenberg however put away the idea of carving out pages and decided instead to carve out letters. When the German goldsmith set his mind to the task he was able to come up with what was called “moveable type”. This had amazing effects around the world, as moveable type printing presses sprung up everywhere and began to work hard bringing books to the world, especially the printed Bible.
The internet had fairly humble beginnings. As early as 1957, scientists for the US Military decided that they needed a technology that would allow uninterrupted communication. This would help track and give orders to the guidance systems of missiles and other weaponry. An organization was set up to help, and it was called the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). This organization eventually set up small connected computers, which sent information at around 50 kbps. After 1972 however the internet began to rapidly transform into what it is today. First e-mail was developed, followed by the idea of a TCP/IP connection. Unfortunately with all these good things happening, tragedy would strike. In 1988 the first online worm was released, causing havoc and great loss of time and money. Eventually the internet became available to all types of people, and localized networks (LAN) were also used all over the world.
By looking at both the Internet and the Gutenberg press, we can see the effects both of these inventions had on history. The printing press brought the living Word of God to thousands of people who had not even heard, let alone read its great words. Before Gutenberg’s time, only the monks and church officials even dreamed of being able to read. The common folk had nothing too read even if they could. Yet the press changed it all, revolutionizing the world through its mass printing. In just the same way the Internet also served to further God’s kingdom. On thousands of sites the Bible can be found, downloaded, or even listened to by millions at a time. The internet also allowed advanced means of communication and documentation, just as the printing press had. Overall, both inventions greatly affected the world, in some ways for good, and in other ways for bad.
Quick Quiz:
What was the primary reason for the invention of the internet?
a) To provide every person with an easy means of communication
b) To allow students an extensive databank of information on every subject
c) To help the USA attack the nation of Germany in WWII
d) To help the United States defend and coordinate itself by providing advanced
communications.
What did Gutenberg first print with his press?
a) Declaration of Independence
b) Luther’s 95 thesis
c) The Bible
d) His own personal diary
What was the organization called that help develop the internet during the
late fifties and early sixties?
a) Advanced Research Projects Agencies
b) Advanced Weapons Communications
c) US Military Research Agency
d) America Online Advancement Agencies
What occupation did Gutenberg have?
a) Blacksmith
b) Silversmith
c) Goldsmith
d) Tanner
Bibliography:
Sean “A short history of the internet” World History October 29,
2004.
http://www.sean.co.uk/a/science/history_of_the_internet.shtm
About “Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press” World History.
October 29, 2004.
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blJohannesGutenberg.htm
Krystula, Dave. “The History of the Internet” World History. October
29, 2004.
http://www.davesite.com/webstation/net-history.shtml
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