MCM101 LESSON 2

LESSON 2: EARLY MASS COMMUNICATION AND PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

1. What is considered a very primitive form of mass communication?
   Writing letters of common interest from the court of kings to nobles and notables is considered a very primitive form of mass communication.
2. Who is credited with inventing the printing press in the West?
   Johann Gutenberg, a German goldsmith, is credited with inventing the printing press in the West in the 1440s.
3. What was the original method of printing?
   The original method of printing was block printing, which involved pressing sheets of paper into individually carved wooden blocks.
4. Where and when was the earliest known printed text, the Diamond Sutra, produced?
   The Diamond Sutra was printed in China in 868 A.D.
5. Who invented the use of movable type in printing and when?
   Bi Sheng in China invented the use of movable type in printing in 1041 AD.
6. What two materials did Gutenberg use that were crucial to his printing process?
   Gutenberg used an oil-based ink and “rag” paper introduced into Europe from China.
7. Before the printing press, how were books like the Bible primarily reproduced?
   Books like the Bible were primarily reproduced by scribes who wrote them out by hand.
8. Within how many years did the printing press spread rapidly across Europe after its invention?
   The printing press spread rapidly across Europe within thirty years of its invention in 1453.
9. Explain how hand-written books served as an early form of mass communication.
   Hand-written books served as an early form of mass communication by taking the views of writers, on topics like religion and science, to hundreds and thousands of people across countries.
10. Why was the invention of movable type significant, even though it was not extensively used in China initially?
    Movable type was significant because it spurred additional scholarly pursuits and facilitated more creative modes of printing in China.
11. Explain one major cultural impact of the printing press on European society.
    One major cultural impact was the decline of the Latin language, as books were soon produced in common European vernacular.
12. How did the printing press contribute to the Protestant Reformation?
    Gutenberg’s press allowed a broader audience to read Martin Luther’s German translation of the Bible and helped spread his other writings, accelerating the Protestant Reformation.
13. Compare the efficiency of copying a Bible by hand versus using Gutenberg’s press.
    Copying a Bible by hand might take a scribe a year, whereas with the Gutenberg press, it was possible to create several hundred copies a year with a few people.
14. Explain how the printing press changed the concept of authorship.
    The printing press made authorship more meaningful by making it important who said or wrote what, and ensuring the same information fell on the same pages with page numbering and indices.
15. How did the printing press affect the process of reading?
    The printing press gradually changed reading from oral readings to silent, private reading, which helped raise the literacy level.
16. Explain one way the printing press contributed to the scientific revolution.
    The printing press helped establish a community of scientists who could easily communicate their discoveries, bringing on the scientific revolution.
17. A historian finds a hand-written religious manuscript from the 12th century. Based on the lesson, what can be inferred about its production and distribution?
    It can be inferred that the manuscript was painstakingly copied by a scribe, likely in a monastery, and was a scarce resource with limited distribution compared to printed works.
18. Imagine you are a scholar in 15th century Europe. Describe one advantage the printing press would give you over relying on hand-copied manuscripts.
    The printing press would provide me with much faster access to multiple copies of texts, allowing for easier sharing of my discoveries and collaboration with other scholars across Europe.
19. Analyze the following statement: “The printing press helped create modern nations.” Based on the lesson, justify this statement.
    The printing press helped create modern nations because as books spread, Latin was gradually replaced by national languages, which was a key development in fostering national identity.
20. A museum is creating an exhibit on the impact of Gutenberg’s press. Based on the lesson, suggest one specific social change to highlight.
    The exhibit should highlight the revolution in education, as the press led to silent, private reading and a gradual rise in literacy levels.
21. Based on the lesson, what was one key reason for the rapid expansion of printing presses across Europe in the late 15th century?
    The rapid expansion was due to a higher level of industry, fueled by high-quality European paper mills, and a significantly higher level of literacy than often estimated.
22. Predict one potential long-term consequence of the printing press making knowledge more accessible to the people, as mentioned in the lesson.
    A long-term consequence was the formulation of copyright laws, as the spread of works led to copies being made by parties other than the original author.
23. Apply your knowledge: Why might the first printing press in a Muslim territory have been run by a Jewish family?
    This might have occurred due to the complex social and cultural dynamics of the time, such as in Muslim Spain (Andalusia), where Jewish merchants had the skills and resources to operate the press, initially using Hebrew script.
24. A modern author is concerned about copyright infringement. How does the lesson connect the invention of the printing press to the origins of this concern?
    The lesson states that the spread of works via the printing press led to the creation of copies by other parties than the original author, which in turn led to the formulation of copyright laws to address this very issue.
25. If you were to explain the significance of the printing press to a friend in one sentence, what would you say based on the lesson?
    The printing press revolutionized communication by making books widely available, which accelerated cultural, religious, and scientific changes across Europe.