Primary Sources 4 The Gutenberg Bible 6 The Early History of Books 8 How the Printing Press Changed the World 10 Johannes Gutenberg’s Early Life 12 Invention of the Printing Press 14 How Gutenberg’s Printing Process Worked 16 Creation of the Gutenberg Bible 18 A Simple Layout 20 Ink 22 Decorations and Color 24 A Serious Disagreement 26 Remaining Copies 28 Glossary 30 For More Information 31 Index 32 CONTENTS
PRIMARY SOURCES Primary sources are the raw materials of history They can include books news articles photos official documents diaries and recordings They serve as original sources of information about a topic of study For example the U S Constitution is a primary source A book written about the Constitution would be considered a secondary source Some artifacts can be primary sources as well Artifacts are objects created by people Artifacts are important for what they teach about the past This book from the fifteenth century is a primary source 4
The Gutenberg Bible for example is one of many copies of the Bible It is important because it was the first book to be printed in Europe Primary sources are important for many reasons They give us direct information about people places and events of the past They can provide historical knowledge that other sources cannot They can also allow us to have a more direct experience of history Many books in libraries and bookstores are secondary sources Can you come up with several examples of primary sources Can you think of any secondary sources for each example How are the primary sources different from the secondary sources Compare and Contrast 5
