Final answer:
The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg, was the significant invention that helped education and literacy become more widespread during the Renaissance, leading to increased literacy rates, the spread of humanism, and changes in religious thought.
Step-by-step explanation:
Invention That Advanced Education and Literacy in the Renaissance:
The invention that significantly contributed to the spread of education and literacy during the Renaissance was the printing press. This innovation facilitated the mass production of books and made written knowledge more accessible to a wider audience, contributing to increased literacy rates and the spread of humanistic ideas.
Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the movable type printing press in 1436 revolutionized the way information was disseminated. Gutenberg's press made it possible to produce books quickly and economically, which led to a dramatic increase in book production and a decrease in their cost, making them accessible to more people. As literacy rates improved, individuals could gain knowledge independently of the Church, fostering a new era of skepticism and humanism. Renaissance figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo did their work within this new context, while others such as Machiavelli and Galileo directly challenged political and religious authority. Luther and other reformers capitalized on this technology to spread their religious ideas, contributing to the Reformation and changing the way Europeans thought about Christianity.