Juan Pablos facts for kids
Juan Pablos (born around 1500, died 1560 or 1561) was a very important person in history. He was the first printer in the Americas! He started his printing business in Mexico in 1539. Juan was originally from a place called Lombardy in Italy.
Biography
Juan Pablos was born in Italy, near a city called Brescia, around the year 1500. We don't know much about his early life. In 1536, a man named Juan Cromberger from Spain decided he wanted to open a printing shop in Mexico. He chose Juan Pablos to go there and set it up.
Juan Pablos left Spain in June 1539 and arrived in Mexico City in October 1539. He opened the first printing shop in the Americas, in a building now known as the "House of Juan Cromberger". Even though Cromberger never went to Mexico and died in 1540, his name was on the books printed there until 1545.
The very first book printed in the Americas was in 1539. It was called Breve y mas compendiosa doctrina Christiana en lengua Mexicana y Castellana. Juan de Zumárraga wrote this book. After Cromberger died, Juan Pablos got the official permission to take over the printing business. He continued printing books until he died in 1560 or 1561. During his time, he printed at least 37 books!
Juan Pablos also helped train the next group of printers in Mexico. These included Pedro Ocharte, who was also his son-in-law, and Antonio de Espinosa. Espinosa started working with Pablos in 1554. He later became the second official printer in Mexico in 1559.
Juan Pablos was married to Geronima Gutierrez. After his death, she received the special permission to continue the printing business. Their daughter, Maria de Figueroa, married Pedro Ocharte in 1561 or 1562. They took over the printing company from Maria's mother in 1563.
Important Books Printed by Juan Pablos
Juan Pablos printed many important books. Here are some of them:
- 1539: Breve y mas compendiosa doctrina Christiana en lengua Mexicana y Castellana by Juan de Zumárraga. This book was in both Spanish and Nahuatl (an Indigenous language).
- 1541: Relacion del espantable terremoto. This was a report about a big earthquake that destroyed Guatemala City on September 10, 1541.
- 1543: Doctrina breve muy provechosa by Juan de Zumárraga. This book was made especially for children.
- 1544: Tripartito del Christianissimo y consolatorio doctor Juan Gerson. This was the first book printed in Mexico that had woodcut illustrations (pictures made from carved wood blocks).
- 1546: Cancienore Spiritual. This was the first book that had Juan Pablos's name on it instead of Juan Cromberger's.
- 1555: Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana by Alonso de Molina. This was a very useful dictionary.
- 1556: Sumario Compendioso by Juan Diez. This was the first non-religious science book printed outside of Europe!
- 1556: Costituciones Fratruum Heremitarum sancti patris nostri Augustini Hiponensis episcopi et doctoris ecclesiae. This book included the Ordinarium, which was 80 pages long and was the first book of music printed in the Americas.
- 1557: Physica speculatio by Alonso Gutiérrez.
- 1560: Manuale Sacramentorum. This was the last book Juan Pablos printed. It was 354 pages long.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Pablos para niños
