What invention by Gutenberg significantly contributed to increased literacy by making books easier to produce?

The invention that significantly contributed to increased literacy by making books easier to produce is the printing press, created by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century. Prior to its introduction, books were laboriously copied by hand, usually by monks in monasteries, making them extremely scarce and expensive. The printing press utilized movable type, enabling the efficient reproduction of text. This technology drastically reduced the time and cost required to produce books, allowing for much wider distribution.

As a result, books became more accessible to the general population, leading to higher literacy rates. The ability to print multiple copies of a text quickly and with less effort allowed for the spread of ideas, information, and literature, contributing to significant cultural and intellectual movements such as the Renaissance and the Reformation. This innovation was pivotal in transforming education and communication during its time.

While the typewriter, woodblock printer, and letterpress also played roles in the history of printing and publishing, it was the printing press that markably revolutionized book production and literacy rates in Europe and beyond.