23.0k views
5 votes
What allowed publishers to bring out more printed material more cheaply than before?

a) Steam-powered printing presses
b) Handwriting
c) Typewriters
d) Calligraphy

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

The correct answer is option c) Typewriters.

Step-by-step explanation:

The innovation that allowed publishers to bring out more printed material more cheaply than before was the steam-powered printing presses. One of the key figures in this revolution was Friedrich Koenig who invented a steam-powered printing press, with the first being sold to the London Times in 1814. This press was capable of making 1100 impressions per hour, significantly more than hand-operated presses.

Moreover, introduction of wood pulp paper in the late nineteenth century reduced costs considerably, making paper about a quarter of the price of the earlier rag-based paper. The industrial revolution also saw the development of automated typesetting machines like the Monotype and Linotype, which further reduced the cost and increased the simplicity of printing.

Automated typesetting and innovations in paper production were crucial in reducing the expenses of printing. Before these inventions, books were copied by hand by scribes, a process that was extremely time-consuming and costly. With the advent of movable type, initially in Asia and then perfected by Gutenberg in Germany, and later the steam-powered printing press, publishing became much more efficient. Gutenberg's press led to the spread of printing across Europe by 1480, with almost every large city boasting at least one press. This greatly advanced the dissemination of knowledge, with Venice becoming the printing capital of Europe.

User Lyra
by
8.4k points