Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the mechanical movable type printing press is widely considered one of the most influential events in human history. Prior to the press, books were painstakingly copied by hand, making them expensive and rare. Gutenberg's innovation allowed for the mass production of books, drastically lowering their cost and increasing literacy rates across Europe. The first major book printed was the 'Gutenberg Bible' in 1455. This technological breakthrough facilitated the rapid spread of the ideas of the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution, and the Protestant Reformation. It broke the monopoly of the elite and the Church over information, democratizing knowledge and laying the foundation for the modern knowledge-based economy. The printing press is often cited as the key driver in the transition from the Middle Ages to the early modern period.