In this crucial first printing development, a raised, reversed image of each letter could be hand-set, placing each word side by side, into a frame that held the combined pieces. Ink was applied to the raised letters and a sheet of paper placed over them and pressed down. This reverse stamp created a correct mirror image on the paper of the desired text. When enough copies were printed, the letters could then be taken apart and reused. Numerous copies of a document could be printed much faster than ever before, and soon printing shops were appearing at a rapid rate over the next century. Not only books, but also newspapers, pamphlets, and other forms of media helped spread news throughout Europe, and by the 17th century, throughout the British colonies in America.

During the Industrial Revolution, technology evolved rapidly, including the printing press techniques. The steam-powered press was invented in...
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