Which best explains why the printing press changed printing so dramatically in the 1440s?
(1 point),
Multiple copies of the same text could be made simultaneously.
• As soon as it was created, it became possible to replicate images.
• Printing had been banned in previous eras, but now it was permitted.
• There was no way to copy texts prior to the invention of the printing press.
Multiple copies of the same text could be made simultaneously.
The best explanation for how the printing press changed printing dramatically in the 1440s is that multiple copies of the same text could be made simultaneously.
The correct answer is: "Multiple copies of the same text could be made simultaneously."
The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 1440s, revolutionized printing by enabling the mass production of printed materials. Prior to the printing press, books and other written materials were predominantly copied by hand, a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. By introducing movable type, Gutenberg's printing press allowed for the efficient printing of multiple copies of the same text simultaneously.
To arrive at this answer, we can eliminate the other options:
- "As soon as it was created, it became possible to replicate images" is incorrect because the printing press primarily facilitated the mass production of texts, rather than images specifically.
- "Printing had been banned in previous eras, but now it was permitted" is incorrect because the emergence of the printing press did not directly result in a change in the legality or permission of printing. Prior bans on printing were typically related to content control, rather than the technical limitations of reproduction.
- "There was no way to copy texts prior to the invention of the printing press" is incorrect because texts were indeed copied manually before the advent of the printing press. However, the printing press vastly improved the speed and efficiency of reproduction.
Therefore, the printing press's ability to produce multiple copies of the same text simultaneously is the primary reason why it changed printing so dramatically in the 1440s.