Famous Men of the Middle Ages · Ch. XXX · Unit 9: The end of the Middle Ages
38. Gutenberg and the art of printing
Goal: Your child can explain how books were made before printing, how movable type was better than block-printing, and why printing changed the world.
You'll need
- The book, open to this chapter
- A map of Europe and the Mediterranean (a free online map or a globe)
- Paper and colored pencils
- Your timeline strip (see the tips at the top)
- For the extra: a potato, a small knife (adult only), and paint or a stamp pad
What's in the book
Chapter XXX (1400-1468): books were written by hand; then came block-printing, each page carved on one block of wood. Gutenberg works in secret in an old monastery room in Strasburg, so that neighbors think he is a wizard. The goldsmith Fust lends him money, then sues him and takes his tools. With a friend's help Gutenberg makes movable types, first of wood and then of metal, and prints a Latin Bible. The Dutch say Lorenz Coster was first. Printing spreads across Europe; Aldus Manutius of Venice prints beautiful "Aldine" books.
The lesson, step by step
Set the scene
Find Mainz on the Rhine in Germany, and Strasbourg (the book's Strasburg), now in France. Then find Venice and Haarlem in the Netherlands.
Read the chapter
Read Chapter XXX aloud. It begins:
While Joan of Arc was busy rescuing France from the English, another wonderful worker was busy in Germany.
Tell it back
Prompts:
- How was block-printing done, and what was slow about it?
- Why did Gutenberg's neighbors think he was a wizard?
- What happened between Gutenberg and Fust?
- Why were movable types better than blocks?
Talk it over
Read this:
Gutenberg enjoyed reading the manuscripts and block books that his parents and their wealthy friends had; and he often said it was a pity that only rich people could own books.
Ask: How would your life be different if every book had to be copied by hand? Who would own books?
What we know now
SayMovable type had already been invented in China, and metal type was used in Korea before Gutenberg's time. But Gutenberg's printing press is what spread printing all over Europe, very quickly.
Make a stamp (optional)
An adult cuts a potato in half and carves one simple letter, like T or L, so that it stands up from the cut face. Your child inks it and prints it.
Then try a letter like F or R. Ask: Why does the letter come out backwards? Printers had to carve every letter backwards.
Safety: only an adult uses the knife.
Remember it
Add to the timeline: "About 1450 Gutenberg prints with movable metal type." (Chapter XIII of the book says printing was invented about 1440.)
Afterwards
Ask your child to explain to someone why printing was such an important invention.
Tip
The book you are reading was printed with type descended from Gutenberg's. Look closely at a page together and notice how even the letters are.
Answers to the book's problems
The printer carved a whole page into one block of wood, cutting away the wood around each letter, then inked it and pressed paper on it; each block took a long time to make and printed only one page. He worked in secret, leaving early and coming home late, so they thought the devil was helping him. Fust lent him money, then lost patience, sued him and won, and took all his tools. Movable types could be set up for one page, then taken apart and used again for any number of pages.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.