Luddite RAFT Assignment

The Luddites are a group that helped to shape the industrial revolution. But, as the term Luddite has been muddled over the decades, the term is sometimes misinterpreted by the people who use it. While many people thought that a Luddite was someone who couldn’t handle technology, they were actually a group of skilled weavers, mechanics and other artisans. They knew how to use the technology of the time and were not protesting over technology itself but instead protested over how technology was used, especially during the industrial revolution. They loved using the machines that were created to advance production; they just wanted to do it in a way that earned them a working wage. Another objection the Luddites had towards technology was when it was used excessively. The way they pretested these issues were also quite interesting, as many of the luddite protests were non-violent, with only one recorded death tied to the luddites during a protests. Also, their protests were very unique in the fact that many of the luddites cross-dressed during the protests. These two facts made Luddite protests very interesting to many people, and helped the luddites gain attention for their movement without having to resort to violence, gaining them a lot of respect from people of the time. Accompanied with this article will also be a letter written by a British soldier sent to the city to protect factories from Luddite riots.

My Dearest Cousin,

            How has your experience in America been so far? I know it must be a huge change for you and your sister to travel so far for a life so uncertain. But I feel safer just because you are safe from the filthy Luddite riots that still occur daily in the city. The way they try to destroy the machines that shape our way of life just because they are unhappy with their wages is egregious. The revolution they are fighting against has brought nothing but prosperity to our country and I am so happy I can be a part of protecting its progress. However, there is not much else to complain about, as their protests are not violent so there is not much danger in watching over them. I pray that you stay safe in America and prosper as I have.

Sincerely

James Hawethorne