During the Industrial Revolution, there were people called Luddites, who protested against economic hardship, and factory owners. Luddites were sometimes cross-dressers who followed a mythical creature named Ned Ludd. The Luddite were not anti-technology, they just didn't want machines to replace the working force of humans. The Luddites would attack local factories and destroy the machines because they disliked the factory owner and the way the factory owners treated their workers. The Luddites destroyed so many machines and factories that the government had to create a law stating that if you destroyed a factory or a machine in the factory then you would be put in jail or worse be sentenced to death. Eventually the government sent out soldiers to protect the factories and its workers. “The owner ordered his men to fire into the crowed, killing at least 3 and wounding 18. Soldiers killed at least 5 more the next day” (Document from Smithsonian.com). This quote shows how the factory owners would do anything to save they’re factory from the Luddites.
The last few months in England have been hectic. My fellow soldiers and I have been told by the government that we have to protect the mills from protesters called Luddites. The Luddites have been going around England destroying machines in the mills and even burning the mills down. Last week was one of the worst weeks of my life. We were protecting one of the factories from a huge group of protesters and then the mill owners tolled us to fire our weapons at them. Some of the soldiers did, but I didn't. Three Luddites died that day and eighteen were injured. Five more died the next day. The reason I didn't fire was because they are just people protesting for the mill workers to have better wages and that the mill owners have too much money. I agree with them that the mill workers should have higher wages and that the mills owners have too much money, but that doesn't give the Luddites the right to destroy machines and burn down factories. Even though the Luddites think they are doing good, they are actually doing some bad because they are putting people out of work who might need the mill job to support their families. My opinions on the Luddites vary, but I am nor with them and nor against them. The Industrial Revolution has been a bad thing to my family. My little sister has been on strike for almost a few months now and has officially lost her job at the mills. My other sister has wrote to me saying that the factory owners keep on cutting her pay and she has had enough of it. She wants to go on strike, but the money helps our family back on the farm. She doesn't know what to do. I will write to again in the upcoming months about what is going on in our family. I hope you and your family is enjoying your new lives in America.
Signed Chris Watson
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