The Printing Press and the Internet

During the Dark Ages, times were literally dark. The literacy rate was about 1% out of the entire population, and those who could read or write were usually church officials. However, after the growth and decay of the bubonic plague, times changed. The Renaissance began and the Europeans began to believe that literacy and knowledge were crucial to living a good life. One man who took matters into his own hands was Johann Gutenberg, who changed the way books were made forever. He took the slow, painstaking moveable type method and created a printing press, which dramatically increased the speed of which books could be made. Because of this, the prices of books dropped significantly and because of the affordable price, the literacy rate skyrocketed. Thanks, Gutenberg! :)

The printing press. Yay!

The internet is an invention that has greatly changed the way we live today and the amount of information we can browse. It contains millions of private and public, academic, business, and government networks that enable communication, work, and education. Before the internet, books were relied on to convey knowledge (thanks again, Gutenberg!) While books are still used, the internet is much faster and more user-friendly. The biggest influence it has had is in the education field. It has provided faster, more up-to-date information for students to learn and study. It’s even provided the necessary information for me to write this paragraph! :)

This is a visual depiction of one portion of the internet's network. Amazing, eh?