Why does history always change when we invent a new way of reading? Reading through the chapter it became apparent that at every cross roads to a new way books are made or kept it allowed for human kind to evolve in a mental capacity right along side it. This fact alone shows how books became the best invention human kind ever made. Books allowed for preserving information such as our own history which allowed for better story telling and learning about ones own culture and heritage.

This form of learning was truly adopted by two civilizations the Romans who helped develop the codex and the Chinese who had their own forms of writing they did on bamboo slabs. These inventions allowed us a look on how daily life developed around written word which allowed for official laws to be mandated and taxation be easier on the subjects. Although most people still couldn’t read it was only wealthy people within nations that could afford to learn.

Another point in history the garners merit for its direct line to human evolution should be the invention of the movable type. This invention by Gutenberg was astronomically important it paved the way for less wealthy workers to be able to learn to read. Although the first thing to be printed was the Bible the flow of information from the once select priests and rich oligarchs to the poor peasants allowed for people to spread ideas more easily which could have also caused a few violent revolutions along the way.

An important part of American history was the civil war that brought with is a lot of death and blood shed over slavery. But one of the main factors that definitely had a influence over the war being started was Uncle Toms Cabin. Stowe’s novel was credited with depicting African American treatment by Southern Landowners that disgusted many northerners at the time. This mark in history also left some of the stereotypes we still see today of African Americans. This important book helped lead to the emancipation of slaves which was a defining moment in the United States history.

In the 1900’s books became cheaper due to the paperback revolution which ended the distinction between high and low art. This revolutionized how we see books even today because it allowed for more expressive diversity in voices and experiences sense people couldn’t tell which books were better or worse based on covers. Which leads us to today where we as people value more on the quick and easy content to read just looking at the surface while not diving in to the readings. All these ways have allowed humans to evolve right along side books. Do you think books have influenced human history more than any other invention?