The Print Revolution and its Impact. The shift from hand printing to mechanical printing led to the print revolution. This revolution transformed the lives of people, changing their relationship to information and knowledge, and with institutions and authorities.
Although the invention of the printing press by Johann Gutenberg did not stop the production of handwritten books, it did bring about a paradigm shift in the production process and the reading patterns. Between 1450 and 1550, the printing press spread to almost all countries of Europe. Printers from Germany even migrated to other parts of the continent, seeking work and setting up presses. As the number of printing presses increased, book production skyrocketed, flooding the market with books. This transition from hand printing to mechanical printing is referred to as \’print revolution\’.\xa0The impact of Print Revolution(i) The shift from hand printing to mechanical printing is known as the print revolution.(ii) It led to the growth and development in technique and production of books.(iii) It transformed the lives of people by opening the door of knowledge to a vast literate population. It also changed people’s relationship to information and knowledge and with institution and authorities.(iv) It influenced people’s conception and opened new ways of looking at things.(v) It encouraged debates and discussions on written texts and encouraged freedom of opinion on important issues. Generated a new reading habit and book culture.