In what year did Johannes Gutenberg invent the printing press with movable type?

Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press with movable type around the year 1440. This innovation was pivotal in the development of the printing industry and had far-reaching effects on literacy, education, and the spread of information across Europe and beyond. Gutenberg's printing press allowed for the mass production of books, significantly reducing their cost and making them more accessible to the general populace. This played a crucial role in the facilitation of the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Scientific Revolution as ideas became more widely disseminated.

In contrast, the other dates do not correspond to significant milestones involving the printing press or movable type. The year 1500 is close to the time when printing had already begun to influence society but does not mark the invention itself. The year 1066 pertains to the Norman Conquest of England, and the year 400 is much earlier than the advent of the printing technology, which did not exist at that time. Thus, 1440 stands out as the true landmark year for Gutenberg’s invention.