THE STRASBOURG DANCING MANIA OF 1518

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

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