THE STRASBOURG DANCING MANIA OF 1518

In the spring of 1518, the city of Strasbourg was consumed by a most peculiar and frightening phenomenon. A woman named Frau Troffea suddenly began to leap in the streets, obviously without any cause or provocation. Her uncontrollable dancing continued for weeks, and soon others followed her in this bizarre spectacle. Thousands of people, it is sa

Johannes Gutenberg's invention altered the world through his groundbreaking printing press. This invention, which utilized movable type, made it possible to produce books at a rate never before seen. Prior to Gutenberg's influence, books were painstakingly transcribed by hand, making them both expensive. The advent of printing popularized knowledge