Although a printing press was brought to America from England as early as 1638, there wasnt much demand for paper in the Colonies Newspapers published in the Colonies didnt exist yet and most books were imported. As the nation became more settled, increased in population, and better educated, the demand for paper increased. The first paper mill in America was established in 1690 near Philadelphia by William Bradford and Nicholas Rittenhouse. At their onevat mill they employed ten adults and an equal number of children. Total production per year was about 1,200 reams. A ream consists of 480 sheets of paper. They made their paper by hand as others had done in the previous 900 years. Their paper was made from two simple ingredients: water and cloth rags

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