People who don't know who the Luddites are get confused on what a Luddite actually believed in. The Luddites were a group of factory workers that were upset with the work hours and wages so they decided to protest. The first protest happened April 1812 some British troops were ordered to shoot at some of them and a couple of them died. they got very upset and decided to destroy equipment in mills and knitting machines. They would raid those technology places and destroy the machines to protest. A picture is shown at bottom. Bellow is a primary source, a letter from a skilled weaver named Henry to his cousin describing the situation the Luddites have put him in.
Dearest cousin Al,
I have some bad news to share with you. I have been put in a situation that I wish I wasn't in. I have to decide if I believe in the luddite. I know that your biggest decision is probably choosing what your getting off the dollar menus but this is serious. I don't know if I believe in everything they are for. I do think that I need better hours and a lot more of them because I have a family to provide for. I am being forced to decide by tomorrow. I will write to you soon on my decision but I have a long night ahead.
Your dearest cousin,
Russell
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