7.8.4 Summary by jamartin17
Paper could be manufactured out of linen rags during the Renaissance. Johann Gutenburg invented movable type, which made printing books easier. The first book he made was the Bible in vernacular. Literacy increased by a lot. Because everyone could read it, they interpreted it themselves. This caused new ideas to be formed and spread. The book "Utopia" showed a better way to organize the government. Desiderus Eramus's "Praise of the Folly" made fun of the Church's ways. Overall, the spread of literacy caused people to think for themselves and to recognize the need for improvement.