THE STRASBOURG DANCING MANIA OF 1518

In the summer of 1518, the city of Strasbourg was consumed by a most peculiar and frightening phenomenon. A woman named Frau Troffea abruptly began to jig in the streets, obviously without any cause or provocation. Her frantic dancing continued for weeks, and soon others participated her in this strange spectacle. Thousands of people, it is said,

Johannes Gutenberg's invention transformed the world through his groundbreaking printing press. This discovery, which utilized movable type, made it possible to create books at a rate never before seen. Prior to Gutenberg's contribution, books were painstakingly written by hand, making them both costly. The advent of printing democratized knowledge