The History of Paper

   Paper was a tool that played such a large role in the advancement and expansion of human communication. The ability to share ideas and preserve knowledge launched the progression of art, politics, and current events all around the world. Even today, paper holds history and value because of its tangibility and lasting role in communication. 

    Paper is one of, if not the oldest form of communication. Written communication has been around for centuries. Writing can be traced back to when cavemen walked the earth etching characters on rocks. Prior to papyrus and paper as we know it, clay tablets were the tool used to document information. These tablets were more difficult to create and preserve. They also were much larger and heavier than paper and it made it harder to transport.The main reason that paper was so important at this time was the portability and accessibility of it. Paper terminated some of the physical barriers of communication during this time and made the spreading of knowledge much more efficient. 

    Papyrus is one of the earliest forms of paper and is traced back to ancient Egypt. It originated in the form of woven plant based fibers. This form of written communication was revolutionary and as most things tend to do, word of this method was spreading to many other countries and the ideas began to shift and migrate to other regions. China was one of the first recorded places to have paper mills and paper pulp. This form of paper is much more similar to what we use today. By the 13th century, paper had made its way through Europe and Spain had started using water powered paper mills. The evolution of paper and its advancements are mostly credited to its accessibility. The rise of paper manufacturing changed the way that people communicate with one another. 

    By the late 1600s, paper mills were being built in America. With paper production now reaching most parts of the world, the innovation began to take off. The Paper mill allowed for paper to be manufactured much faster and more efficiently which enabled the literary world to take off. Books and newspapers were much easier and cheaper to produce so they became much more popular. Communication was becoming easier to facilitate now that people had physical and copyable forms of information. 

The history of paper and its byproducts will outlast all of us. Libraries hold thousands of pieces of written documents which act as archives for our past. Paper is much more permanent and tangible. Even with technological advancements making paper communication more and more obsolete, books, newspapers, textbooks, and journals hold so much history. Understanding the roots of our communication can allow for appreciation of how easy and accessible widespread communication is today. Even if newspapers and books are not the first source people look to these days for information, we must appreciate how they got us to where we are today.