The printing press, developed by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440, transformed the spread of information. Before this invention, books were copied laboriously by hand, making them rare and costly. Gutenberg's movable type allowed printers to produce texts far more quickly. Within decades, printing presses had spread across much of Europe. This wider access to books contributed to rising literacy rates over time. According to the passage, what was one long-term effect of the printing press?
