apr 11, 1455 - 1455: The Gutenberg Bible is first published.

Description:

The Gutenberg Bible was Europe's first major mass-produced book printed using movable metal type. Before 1455, books were primarily available only to the wealthy and powerful because they were copied by hand, but with this invention, the Scriptures became potentially available to everyone. For the first time, books could be mass-produced and owned by common people, and new ideas spread quicker than ever. This invention was vital to the Protestant Reformation, Enlightenment, and Scientific Revolution.