Artifact 3--The Luddites

Time past and people started to seek for a better life. Industrial Revolution occurred, and brings better or worse life to the society. Machines have been created by the scientists and inventors, which did bring huge benefits to the nineteen century industry. However, not all the people are fascinate by the invention of machines, for example the luddites. The luddites are members of any of the bands of English workers who destroyed machinery, esp. in cotton and woolen mills that they believed was threatening their jobs (1811–16). The Luddites were trying to save their livelihoods by smashing industrial machines developed for use in the textile industries of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. The movement began in Nottingham in 1811 and spread rapidly throughout England in 1811 and 1812.

In 1816 there was a revival of violence and machine breaking following a bad harvest and a downturn in trade.  On 28 June the Luddites attacked Heathcote and Boden's mill in Loughborough. Army was used to end the riots and for their crimes, six men were executed and another three were transported. That was a terrible day, People were yelling in anger, and destroying things, making a huge damage to the factories and the industry there. They smashed 53 frames at a cost of £6,000.

Is the invention of machines correct or not? This is a very sensitive question. Machines did make our lives easier, but the following things are pollutions and unemployment, which disturbed our lives a lot. The luddites were just workers in the factories, can we judge if they were guilty or innocent?