Final answer:
Before the development of the printing press in Europe, books were difficult to make and expensive, making them limited to the wealthy and educated individuals. The printing press revolutionized book production by allowing for mass production, making books more accessible and affordable.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before the development of the printing press in Europe, books were difficult to make. Prior to the invention of the printing press, books were typically hand-written and hand-copied by scribes, which was a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. This made books expensive and limited the number of copies that could be produced.
Furthermore, the materials needed to make books, such as parchment or vellum for the pages and ink for the writing, were also costly. As a result, books were not widely available and were primarily owned by the wealthy and educated individuals.
The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, revolutionized the production of books. It allowed for the mass production of books using movable type, significantly reducing the time and cost required to create a book. This made books more accessible and affordable, leading to a greater dissemination of knowledge and a democratization of information.
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