This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the impacts of the printing press by examining its utility in society, both as an instrument to preserve cultural products of the past and as an agent of change. By investigating the compelling question “Did the printing press preserve the past or invent the future?” students evaluate both functions of the printing press and consider which had the greater impact. The formative performance tasks build on knowledge and skills through the course of the inquiry and help students recognize the dual nature of the printing press in order to bett