In the time of Gutenberg, books were printed like this: raised letters were cut out on a wooden board, smeared with black paint, and, placing the board on the paper, they sat on it as a moving, energetic press. The cleanliness and clarity of the print depended on the heaviness of the typographer.
Gutenberg's entire merit lay in the fact that he came up with the idea of cutting out each letter separately and using these movable letters to form words for printing. It seems like a trivial idea, and if Gutenberg hadn’t come up with it, printing would have been stuck at wooden boards and humanity would still be sitting in some seventeenth century, not realizing the reason for its backwardness. Horror!
Being a smart person in terms of printing, Gutenberg was a real child in life, and only the lazy did not deceive him or cheat him... History says that he entered into company with some goldsmith Faust. He took the printing house for himself and drove Gutenberg away. Gutenberg again found some, as the story goes, “a very rich, sympathetic man.” The sympathetic man also took over the printing house and drove Gutenberg away. At this time, an even more responsive person was found - Archbishop Adolf of Mainz. He took Gutenberg into his household, but did not pay him a penny of salary, so Gutenberg escaped starvation only by hasty flight. So for the rest of his life, Gutenberg wandered from one swindler to another until he died in poverty.
Magnetic needle
Concerning important invention in the history of human culture - the magnetic needle, then the writer of these lines has not achieved any sense: who, in essence, invented the magnetic needle? According to some sources, it was invented by some Flavio Joyo from Amalfi, according to others, it was known even during the Crusades.
So figure it out here.
Just in case, Joyo’s compatriots erected a monument, and since no one has filed a patent for this witty invention (not for the monument, but for the magnet), magnetic needles can now be made by anyone who feels like it.
According to the writer of these lines, there is still one way left for historians to easily check whether Flavio Joyo really invented the magnetic needle.
One has only to find out: did he die in poverty? If this is so, then he invented the compass.
The examples of Gutenberg, Columbus and others sufficiently confirm this rule.
The story of the invention of gunpowder is no less mysterious. Rumor attributes this merit to the monk Berthold Schwartz, but since there is no evidence that he died in poverty, Schwartz’s involvement in the invention of gunpowder is quite doubtful.
We offer the reader a choice: Berthold Schwartz or another monk, Roger Bacon, who was credited with the invention of gunpowder back in the 13th century. About the latter in history it is said: “... He knew how to make gunpowder, was suspected of heresy, was persecuted and died in prison.”
This shows that even in those days everyone recognized the destructive power of gunpowder and radical measures were taken against it.
The invention of gunpowder revolutionized the art of war.
Previously, experienced, battle-hardened warriors did this: they shackled themselves from head to toe in iron, climbed onto a horse with the help of servants, and rushed into battle. Enemies jumped on such a warrior, chopped him with sabers, stabbed him with knives, and he sat as if nothing had happened and looked ironically at his enemies. If he was pulled off a horse by the leg, he did not get lost: he lay on the ground and looked ironically at his enemies. They fussed for a long time and in vain around this giant closed oyster, not knowing how to open it, how to get a piece of living human flesh from under the iron... Having fussed fruitlessly over the knight for several hours, the enemies scratched their heads and, cursing, rushed at other enemies, and to Faithful servants approached the winner and pulled him onto his horse again.
So they carried this armored effigy from place to place until the enemies broke off their bladed weapons on it and surrendered.
With the invention of gunpowder, the affairs of the brave, reserved knights completely fell into decline. As soon as you pulled such a knight off his horse and put two pounds of gunpowder under him, he immediately opened up, fell into pieces and became completely unusable.
Thus, the invention of gunpowder led to the abolition of personal courage and strength... Military affairs was reorganized, guns and cannons appeared, fortified cities began to crackle, and savages unfamiliar with the use of firearms, fell into complete despondency. The Europeans beat them, beat them and despised them on the grounds that they “didn’t invent gunpowder!”
Discovery of America
Eyewitnesses claim that America was discovered by Christopher Columbus, who became famous, in addition, for his strength and intelligence: during a dispute with scientists, Columbus, to prove the spherical shape of the Earth, crushed in front of those present - without any devices - egg. Everyone gasped and believed Columbus.
Columbus received permission to discover America conditionally, that is, the government’s agreement with Columbus literally said this: “We, Ferdinand of Aragon on the one hand and Christopher Columbus on the other, have entered into this agreement that I, Ferdinand, undertake to give him, Columbus , cash and ships, and he, Columbus, undertakes to board these ships and sail wherever necessary. In addition, the aforementioned Columbus undertakes to stumble upon the first land that comes his way and discover it, for which he receives the governorship and a tenth of the income from the discovered lands.”
While treating the memory of the talented Columbus with extreme respect, we nevertheless consider ourselves obligated to illuminate this personality from a completely new side, unlike the one that would have been created by historical routine.
Here's what we claim:
1) leaving the harbor of Palos (in Spain) for the first time, Columbus thought only about finding a sea route to India, without even thinking about discovering some kind of America. So there was no merit on his part;
2) secondly, no America could even be “discovered”, because it had already been discovered in the 10th century by Scandinavian sailors;
3) and thirdly, even if the Scandinavian sailors had not gotten ahead of themselves, Columbus still would not have discovered any America. Let the readers follow all his behavior in the “discovery of America.” He sailed and sailed across the ocean until one sailor shouted at the top of his lungs: “Earth!” This is who should truly be considered the discoverer of America - this honest, inconspicuous worker, this gray hero... And Columbus wiped him off, moved forward, put on the admiral's uniform, crawled ashore, wiped his forehead with a foulard handkerchief and sighed with relief:
Ffu! Finally I discovered America!
Many will argue with us on this point, many will reject our sailor... Good, sir. But we have another objection: on his first visit, Columbus did not discover any America. This is what he did: he came across the island of San Salvador (Gwanagani), surprised the natives and left. While traveling, he came across another island - Cuba, landed, aroused surprise among the natives and left. Now he came across the third island, Haiti, according to his already ingrained habit, landed, aroused surprise among the natives and went home to Spain. The question arises, where is the discovery of a new continent, if the vain sailor turned around among three islands, aroused surprise in the natives and left?
Our skepticism was shared by many even at that time. At least, when Columbus returned to Spain and reported his discovery, some enlightened people who knew about the visit by the Scandinavians new country Back in the 10th century, people shrugged their shoulders and laughed at Columbus:
Same! Discovered America!
Since then, this phrase has acquired the meaning of irony and ridicule of people who solemnly reported generally known facts.
What Columbus can be credited with is his ability to impress the natives and arouse sincere surprise in them. True, it must be admitted that both sides were surprised: at the first meeting, the red Indians looked at the white Europeans with a wild look, and the white Europeans with stunned faces looked at the red beardless people, whose entire clothing consisted of their own scalp, jauntily tilted to one side.
Eyewitnesses claim that America was discovered by Christopher Columbus, who became famous, in addition, for his strength and intelligence: during a dispute with scientists, Columbus crushed a chicken egg in front of those present - without any devices - to prove the spherical shape of the Earth. Everyone gasped and believed Columbus.
Columbus received permission to discover America conditionally, that is, the government’s agreement with Columbus literally said this: “We, Ferdinand of Aragon on the one hand and Christopher Columbus on the other, have entered into this agreement that I, Ferdinand, undertake to give him, Columbus , money and ships, and he, Columbus, undertakes to board these ships and sail wherever necessary. In addition, the aforementioned Columbus undertakes to stumble upon the first land that comes his way and discover it, for which he receives the governorship and a tenth of the income from the discovered lands.”
While treating the memory of the talented Columbus with extreme respect, we nevertheless consider ourselves obligated to illuminate this personality from a completely new side, unlike the one that would have been created by historical routine.
Here's what we claim:
1) leaving the harbor of Palos (in Spain) for the first time, Columbus thought only about finding a sea route to India, without even thinking about discovering some kind of America. So there was no merit on his part;
2) secondly, no America could even be “discovered”, because it had already been discovered in the 10th century by Scandinavian sailors;
3) and thirdly, even if the Scandinavian sailors had not gotten ahead of themselves, Columbus still would not have discovered any America. Let the readers follow all his behavior in the “discovery of America.” He sailed and sailed across the ocean until one sailor shouted at the top of his lungs: “Earth!” This is who should truly be considered the discoverer of America - this honest, inconspicuous worker, this gray hero... And Columbus wiped him off, moved forward, put on the admiral's uniform, crawled ashore, wiped his forehead with a foulard handkerchief and sighed with relief:
Ffu! Finally I discovered America!
Many will argue with us on this point, many will reject our sailor... Good, sir. But we have another objection: on his first visit, Columbus did not discover any America. This is what he did: he came across the island of San Salvador (Gwanagani), surprised the natives and left. While traveling, he came across another island - Cuba, landed, aroused surprise among the natives and left. Now he came across the third island, Haiti, according to his already ingrained habit, landed, aroused surprise among the natives and went home to Spain. The question arises, where is the discovery of a new continent, if the vain sailor turned around among three islands, aroused surprise in the natives and left?
Our skepticism was shared by many even at that time. At least, when Columbus returned to Spain and reported on his discovery, some enlightened people who knew about the Scandinavians visiting the new country back in the 10th century shrugged their shoulders and laughed at Columbus:
Same! Discovered America!
Since then, this phrase has acquired the meaning of irony and ridicule of people who solemnly reported generally known facts.
What Columbus can be credited with is his ability to impress the natives and arouse sincere surprise in them. True, it must be admitted that both sides were surprised: at the first meeting, the red Indians looked at the white Europeans with a wild look, and the white Europeans with stunned faces looked at the red beardless people, whose entire clothing consisted of their own scalp, jauntily tilted to one side.
Having sufficiently admired each other, the whites and reds began to bargain. Both races sincerely considered each other complete fools.
The whites were silently surprised:
And what idiots these savages are! They give away gold earrings, rings and whole bars in exchange for a penny mirror or a dozen multi-colored glass beads.
And the savages also quietly nudged each other with their elbows, giggled and shook their heads with the most hopeless look:
These whites will make us laugh until we fall with their stupidity: for a simple piece of iron, no larger than a fist, they will give a whole unbroken mirror or a whole arshin of magnificent red calico!
With Columbus's subsequent visits to America, barter trade grew and developed.
The Spaniards brought leather, guns, gunpowder, slavery and a penchant for robbery and drunkenness to the Indians.
Grateful Indians gave them potatoes, tobacco and syphilis.
Both sides got even, and no one could blame each other for the lack of generosity: neither Europe nor America.
After his third voyage to America, Columbus began to think about a quiet peaceful life without worries and adventures. In this, the Spanish king Ferdinand himself came to his aid: he put Columbus in chains and imprisoned. Since at that time all outstanding people were usually burned, this royal favor to Columbus aroused many envious people.
Of these, Cortes is known in history, who conquered Mexico for Spain and gained the same favor with the good-natured king as Columbus...
In the time of Gutenberg, books were printed like this: raised letters were cut out on a wooden board, smeared with black paint, and, placing the board on the paper, they sat on it as a moving, energetic press. The cleanliness and clarity of the print depended on the heaviness of the typographer.
Gutenberg's entire merit lay in the fact that he came up with the idea of cutting out each letter separately and using these movable letters to form words for printing. It seems like a trivial idea, and if Gutenberg had not come up with it, printing would have been stuck on wooden boards and humanity would still be sitting in some seventeenth century, not realizing the reason for its backwardness. Horror!
Being a smart person in terms of printing, Gutenberg was a real child in life, and only the lazy did not deceive him or cheat him... History says that he entered into company with some goldsmith Faust. He took the printing house for himself and drove Gutenberg away. Gutenberg again found some, as the story goes, “a very rich, sympathetic man.” The sympathetic man also took over the printing house and drove Gutenberg away. At this time, an even more responsive person was found - Archbishop Adolf of Mainz. He took Gutenberg into his household, but did not pay him a penny of salary, so Gutenberg escaped starvation only by hasty flight. So for the rest of his life, Gutenberg wandered from one swindler to another until he died in poverty.
Magnetic needle
As for the important invention in the history of human culture - the magnetic needle, the writer of these lines has not achieved any sense: who, in essence, invented the magnetic needle? According to some sources, it was invented by some Flavio Joyo from Amalfi, according to others, it was known even during the Crusades.
So figure it out here.
Just in case, Joyo’s compatriots erected a monument, and since no one has filed a patent for this witty invention (not for the monument, but for the magnet), magnetic needles can now be made by anyone who feels like it.
According to the writer of these lines, there is still one way left for historians to easily check whether Flavio Joyo really invented the magnetic needle.
One has only to find out: did he die in poverty? If this is so, then he invented the compass.
The examples of Gutenberg, Columbus and others sufficiently confirm this rule.
The story of the invention of gunpowder is no less mysterious. Rumor attributes this merit to the monk Berthold Schwartz, but since there is no evidence that he died in poverty, Schwartz’s involvement in the invention of gunpowder is quite doubtful.
We offer the reader a choice: Berthold Schwartz or another monk, Roger Bacon, who was credited with the invention of gunpowder back in the 13th century. About the latter in history it is said: “... He knew how to make gunpowder, was suspected of heresy, was persecuted and died in prison.”
This shows that even in those days everyone recognized the destructive power of gunpowder and radical measures were taken against it.
The invention of gunpowder revolutionized the art of war.
Previously, experienced, battle-hardened warriors did this: they shackled themselves from head to toe in iron, climbed onto a horse with the help of servants, and rushed into battle. Enemies jumped on such a warrior, chopped him with sabers, stabbed him with knives, and he sat as if nothing had happened and looked ironically at his enemies. If he was pulled off a horse by the leg, he did not get lost: he lay on the ground and looked ironically at his enemies. They fussed for a long time and in vain around this giant closed oyster, not knowing how to open it, how to get a piece of living human flesh from under the iron... Having fussed fruitlessly over the knight for several hours, the enemies scratched their heads and, cursing, rushed at other enemies, and to Faithful servants approached the winner and pulled him onto his horse again.
So they carried this armored effigy from place to place until the enemies broke off their bladed weapons on it and surrendered.
With the invention of gunpowder, the affairs of the brave, reserved knights completely fell into decline. As soon as you pulled such a knight off his horse and put two pounds of gunpowder under him, he immediately opened up, fell into pieces and became completely unusable.
Thus, the invention of gunpowder led to the abolition of personal courage and strength... Military affairs was reorganized, guns and cannons appeared, fortified cities began to crack, and savages, unfamiliar with the use of firearms, fell into complete despondency. The Europeans beat them, beat them and despised them on the grounds that they “didn’t invent gunpowder!”
Discovery of America
Eyewitnesses claim that America was discovered by Christopher Columbus, who became famous, in addition, for his strength and intelligence: during a dispute with scientists, Columbus crushed a chicken egg in front of those present - without any devices - to prove the spherical shape of the Earth. Everyone gasped and believed Columbus.
Columbus received permission to discover America conditionally, that is, the government’s agreement with Columbus literally said this: “We, Ferdinand of Aragon on the one hand and Christopher Columbus on the other, have entered into this agreement that I, Ferdinand, undertake to give him, Columbus , money and ships, and he, Columbus, undertakes to board these ships and sail wherever necessary. In addition, the aforementioned Columbus undertakes to stumble upon the first land that comes his way and discover it, for which he receives the governorship and a tenth of the income from the discovered lands.”
While treating the memory of the talented Columbus with extreme respect, we nevertheless consider ourselves obligated to illuminate this personality from a completely new side, unlike the one that would have been created by historical routine.
Here's what we claim:
1) leaving the harbor of Palos (in Spain) for the first time, Columbus thought only about finding a sea route to India, without even thinking about discovering some kind of America. So there was no merit on his part;
2) secondly, no America could even be “discovered”, because it had already been discovered in the 10th century by Scandinavian sailors;
3) and thirdly, even if the Scandinavian sailors had not gotten ahead of themselves, Columbus still would not have discovered any America. Let the readers follow all his behavior in the “discovery of America.” He sailed and sailed across the ocean until one sailor shouted at the top of his lungs: “Earth!” This is who should truly be considered the discoverer of America - this honest, inconspicuous worker, this gray hero... And Columbus wiped him off, moved forward, put on the admiral's uniform, crawled ashore, wiped his forehead with a foulard handkerchief and sighed with relief:
Ffu! Finally I discovered America!
Many will argue with us on this point, many will reject our sailor... Good, sir. But we have another objection: on his first visit, Columbus did not discover any America. This is what he did: he came across the island of San Salvador (Gwanagani), surprised the natives and left. While traveling, he came across another island - Cuba, landed, aroused surprise among the natives and left. Now he came across the third island, Haiti, according to his already ingrained habit, landed, aroused surprise among the natives and went home to Spain. The question arises, where is the discovery of a new continent, if the vain sailor turned around among three islands, aroused surprise in the natives and left?
Our skepticism was shared by many even at that time. At least, when Columbus returned to Spain and reported on his discovery, some enlightened people who knew about the Scandinavians visiting the new country back in the 10th century shrugged their shoulders and laughed at Columbus:
Same! Discovered America!
Since then, this phrase has acquired the meaning of irony and ridicule of people who solemnly reported generally known facts.
What Columbus can be credited with is his ability to impress the natives and arouse sincere surprise in them. True, it must be admitted that both sides were surprised: at the first meeting, the red Indians looked at the white Europeans with a wild look, and the white Europeans with stunned faces looked at the red beardless people, whose entire clothing consisted of their own scalp, jauntily tilted to one side.
on the grounds that they “didn’t invent gunpowder!” Discovery of America
Eyewitnesses claim that America was discovered by Christopher Columbus, who became famous, in addition, for his strength and intelligence: during a dispute with scientists, Columbus crushed a chicken egg in front of those present - without any devices - to prove the spherical shape of the Earth. Everyone gasped and believed Columbus.
Columbus received permission to discover America conditionally, that is, the government’s agreement with Columbus literally said this: “We, Ferdinand of Aragon on the one hand and Christopher Columbus on the other, have concluded this agreement that I, Ferdinand, undertake to give him, Columbus , money and ships, and he, Columbus, undertakes to board these ships and sail wherever necessary. In addition, the aforementioned Columbus undertakes to stumble upon the first land that comes his way and discover it, for which he receives a viceroyalty and a tenth of the income from the discovered lands." .
While treating the memory of the talented Columbus with extreme respect, we nevertheless consider ourselves obligated to illuminate this personality from a completely new side, unlike the one that would have been created by historical routine.
Here's what we claim:
1) leaving the harbor of Palos (in Spain) for the first time, Columbus thought only about finding a sea route to India, without even thinking about discovering some kind of America. So there was no merit on his part;
2) secondly, no America could even be “discovered”, because it had already been discovered in the 10th century by Scandinavian sailors;
3) and thirdly, even if the Scandinavian sailors had not gotten ahead of themselves, Columbus still would not have discovered any America. Let the readers trace his entire behavior in the matter of “discovering America.” He sailed and sailed across the ocean until one sailor shouted at the top of his lungs: “Earth!” This is who should truly be considered the discoverer of America - this honest, inconspicuous worker, this gray hero... And Columbus wiped him off, moved forward, put on the admiral's uniform, crawled ashore, wiped his forehead with a foulard handkerchief and sighed with relief:
Ffu! Finally I discovered America!
Many will argue with us on this point, many will reject our sailor... Good, sir. But we have another objection: on his first visit, Columbus did not discover any America. This is what he did: he came across the island of San Salvador (Gwanagani), surprised the natives and left. While traveling, he came across another island - Cuba, landed, aroused surprise among the natives and left. Now he came across the third island, Haiti, according to his already ingrained habit, landed, aroused surprise among the natives and went home to Spain. The question arises, where is the discovery of a new continent, if the vain sailor turned around among three islands, aroused surprise in the natives and left?
Our skepticism was shared by many even at that time. At least, when Columbus returned to Spain and reported on his discovery, some enlightened people who knew about the Scandinavians visiting the new country back in the 10th century shrugged their shoulders and laughed at Columbus:
Same! Discovered America!
Since then, this phrase has acquired the meaning of irony and ridicule of people who solemnly reported generally known facts.
What can be credited to Columbus?
Witnesses to the situation convinced society that Columbus was the discoverer of America. He was valued during his life as a resourceful person who did not get lost in various unusual situations. He managed to crush a chicken egg with his bare hands to prove that our planet is spherical in shape.
We have several, different information about Columbus. It somewhat contradicts the current situation.
When setting off on our voyage, the traveler did not plan to discover America. Moreover, it was mentioned as identified by Scandinavian sailors. Finally, more credit goes to the simple cabin boy, who exclaimed that there was part of the land ahead.
Many will disagree with our conclusions. He still didn’t discover the American continent. He simply met with the natives. Seeing each other with different colors skin, clothing and rules of communication, they were surprised. That's all. Wandering around the islands, seeing each other for the first time, and simply sailing away to their homeland.
Simply, making a caustic remark, enlightened individuals said: “Oh, he discovered America!” That’s how this sarcastic proposal came about, about long-known information.
Of course, after a while, the natives, as if for the first time, encountered unusual creatures with white skin and strikingly different lifestyles. After all, they walked naked, with tanned skin and without a beard, in clothes. While making the exchange, it seemed to them that it was easy for them to deceive each other.
Whitefaces easily rusticated with small, expertly made mirrors and trinkets: beads from plain glass. And the natives did not spare gold pieces for them, various items decorations Then, relations and trade ties improved.
After a while, the savages acquired weapons, the habit of stealing and drinking. And they generously shared syphilis, potatoes and tobacco with the guests. And it all ended with imprisonment. The King of Spain ordered the traveler to be kept in prison.
Famous people were doomed to huge envious speeches and ended up at the stake or behind bars.
Picture or drawing Discovery of America
Other retellings for the reader's diary
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