The ancient Egyptians wrote on a. paper b. papyrus c. parchment
Ts’ai Lun’s paper was made of rags, bark, and a. animal skin b. papyrus stems c. old fishing nets
In the 11th century, paper came to Morocco and Spain with a. the Roman Empire b. the Islamic Caliphate c. the Mongol Empire
Discussion/essay questions
Some historians believe that the most powerful society during each period in history was often the one with the most access to paper. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?
Over the last few decades, information has been moving online. Do you think paper will continue to be important in the future? Why or why not?
Transcript
In ancient times, people carved words on stone. The earliest paper-like material was papyrus, which ancient Egyptians made from the stems of the papyrus plant. However, the basic paper-making process began in China around 100 CE. A courtier named Ts’ai Lun mashed rags, bark, and old fishing nets into a pulp. He used water to hold the pulp together and let it dry into a sheet. Before, Chinese scribes had written on woven fabric. Ts’ai Lun’s process made it easier to copy books and spread information. Paper spread first to Korea and Japan, and then to the Middle East through the Silk Road. The Islamic Caliphate brought paper to Morocco and Spain in the 11th century. Europe took a while to start using paper. Roman officials thought parchment was more refined. However, the invention of the Gutenberg press changed this. Paper was cheaper to make than parchment, which made it better for mass printing. As production of paper increased around the world, so did literacy.
contrast: to show differences between two or more things
folk ballad: a song that people in a certain culture know,especially one that tells a story or myth
critic: someone who analyzes and comments on art or literature
symbolic: representing a certain idea
Romantic era: an artistic period in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries, when artists and writers took interest in imagination, nature, and strong emotions
Songs of Innocence and of Experience is a. an epic b. a play c. a book of poems
The book is told from a. Blake’s perspective b. a child’s perspective c. many characters’ perspectives
The term Blake used for his printing technique was a. illustrated printing b. illuminated printing c. illusionary printing
Discussion/essay questions
Do you know any folk ballads? Where did you first hear them? Why do you think so many cultures like to tell stories through music?
Transcript
Songs of Innocence and of Experience is a 1794 book of poetry by English writer and artist William Blake. The Songs were originally published in two books. Songs of Innocence contained 19 poems, and Songs of Experience contained 28. Most of the poems are told from the perspectives of different characters. Blake paired many poems in Songs of Innocence with poems with the same title in Songs of Experience. The pairs of poems often contrast an adult’s perspective with a child’s. The poems in the Songs have a musical style inspired by popular folk ballads. Blake’s work was unique because he printed and bound all of his books by hand. He etched his words and illustrations on sheets of copper, which he used to make multiple copies. He called this technique “illuminated printing.” Blake was never famous when he was alive, but critics eventually began to recognize his writing and art as symbolic works of the Romantic era.
How has our access to information changed in recent years? How do you think it will continue to change in the future?
Transcript
Printing has shaped the world in many ways. The first printed texts date back to 6th century China, when monks printed messages using carved wood and ink. In the 11th century, a Chinese inventor named Bi Sheng created a moveable type press, which made it easier to quickly copy texts. However, Bi Sheng’s invention did not become immediately popular. This was because it was difficult to include enough Chinese characters to communicate every kind of message. Around 300 years later, German inventor Johannes Gutenberg developed a printing press for European languages. The Gutenberg press revolutionized written information in Europe. It made books, news, and religious texts accessible to everyone. This spread of information also prompted many more technological advancements throughout history.
