Printing Press & Renaissance · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.
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Printing Books in Renaissance Europe

History · Medieval Times · ages 9-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Who established England's first printing press in 1476?

    • Johannes Gutenberg
    • William Caxton
    • King Henry VIII

  2. Before movable-type printing spread in Europe, how were the words in books usually copied?

    • Written by hand by scribes
    • Typed using electric keyboards
    • Printed using office photocopiers

  3. Once a page's type was arranged, a printer could reuse that arrangement to print more copies.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Which chain best explains how printing could support learning to read?

    • More copies, wider access, more chances to practice
    • More copies, fewer readers, less need for practice
    • More copies, higher prices, fewer chances to practice

  5. What could workers rearrange to print the words of another page in Gutenberg's system?

    • Large carved stone tablets
    • Sheets of handwritten parchment
    • Movable metal letters

  6. Use 1440 as a rounded date for Gutenberg's work and 1476 for Caxton's English press. About how many years are between these dates?

    Answer: ______________

  7. A student says Gutenberg's printing system started the Renaissance. Which account matches the lesson?

    • The Renaissance began only after Caxton opened his English press
    • The Renaissance began when every European could read printed books
    • The Renaissance began earlier; printing helped its ideas spread

  8. Tomas says printing changed nothing because some people already owned handwritten books. Which change has he missed?

    • Making more copies raised the cost of each copy
    • Making many copies lowered the cost per copy
    • Making a printed copy cost the same as hand copying
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Printing Books in Renaissance Europe W1-mt_rf23aL6KwH-s1

  1. William Caxton · William Caxton established the press at Westminster in 1476.
  2. Written by hand by scribes · Scribes copied words by hand in monasteries and towns.
  3. True · Workers could ink the same arrangement and press more sheets against it.
  4. More copies, wider access, more chances to practice · More available books gave more learners material for reading practice. Access helped learning but did not teach the skill by itself.
  5. Movable metal letters · Workers rearranged metal letters, called type, to form another page's words.
  6. 36 · 1476 minus 1440 is 36. The interval is about 36 years because the earlier date is rounded.
  7. The Renaissance began earlier; printing helped its ideas spread · The Renaissance began in parts of Italy before Gutenberg's work. Printing later helped its ideas spread.
  8. Making many copies lowered the cost per copy · Printing many copies reduced cost per copy. That was a change even though handwritten books already existed.
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