Explain some of the technological advances of the Renaissance era

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The Renaissance saw both artistic and technological innovations. Both the explosion of European culture and empire expansion had their roots in technological advancements. For example, advancements in navigation, shipbuilding, and maritime instrumentation (the magnetic compass) propelled Europe into a dominant position in the world. Gunpowder, the light cannon, muskets, and other military devices made warfare increasingly deadly, but allowed for European dominance.
Culturally, the most significant innovation was the perfection of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg that made it possible to fabricate books more cheaply, more rapidly, and in greater numbers than ever before. As information became a commodity for mass production, vast areas of knowledge—heretofore the exclusive domain of the monastery, the Church, and the university—became available to the public. The printing press facilitated the rise of popular education and encouraged individuals to form their own opinions by reading for themselves. It accelerated the growing interest in vernacular literature, which in turn enhanced national and individual self-consciousness.