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, seemingly without any cause or provocation. Her wild dancing continued for months, and soon others joined her in this bizarre spectacle. Thousands of people, it is said, fell

Johannes Gutenberg's invention revolutionized 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 contribution, books were painstakingly copied by hand, making them both costly. The advent of printing democratized knowl