Names: Steven C., Jaivon W., Jean C., Nick C., Albert, Alan, Keenan E.

The Lesson for this Share Out! document the shortest one.  That’s because this lesson is more designed towards writing answers to essay questions.  Most of the other Share Out! docs today are short answer questions, if you would prefer short answers.

That being said, understanding Luddites is a way to understand the connections from the medieval Guilds reaching out to us in today’s labor unions.

Try reading the short lesson a couple of times, looking for the connections in the links connected to the two pages of the lesson.

Please try to type out a few sentences for each of your answers:

1. What annual celebration will be held this Thursday?
   Answer: Guy Fawkes Day, celebrated November 5th and they celebrated the failure of the gunpowder plot of 1605. They planned to destroy the House of Parliament, the plot was intended to kill the king and it’s members.
2. Secrets and mysteries are mentioned through the two pages.  Why is so little known about Luddites? Much of what the Luddites did and who they were was deliberately kept secret to protect themselves from being jailed for illegal assembles.
3. Describe the two machine breaker events mentioned… Answer: In Jan 1812 an underpaid work group of textile workers stormed George Balls textile workshop. 3 months later Cartwrights Mill at Raw folds was attacked.
4. Describe the machines the Luddites were so infuriated over
   Answer: Stocking frames, power cotton looms, wool shearing machines,  gig mills, knitting machines were used to began the mass producing of clothing in Midlands, England. They were operated by women and children at cut-rate wages. This led to a movement who’s mission was to resist massive unemployment in the results of this extreme disruption.
5. Describe the working conditions children suffered under in the gig mills, et. al.
   Answer: During the industrial revolution, child labor in mills and factories involved long hours, low wages, dangerous machinery, unhealthy environments, abuse and lack of education. Reforms have since improved conditions and prohibited child labor in many places.
6. What does laissez faire mean?
   Answer: A policy or attitude of letting things take their own course without interfering.
7. In E.P. Thompson’s quote, he describes the Luddites as looking backwards and forwards.  Summarize in your own words the two visions the Luddites held which led to them breaking machines.
   Answer: 1. A lot of the machinery, gigs, and jobs were operated and completed by children and women at cut rate wages.   2. First time the working people succumbed to the industrial revolution and that of irresponsible and unlicensed competition. 3. Reduced pay for machine workers and skilled workers were laid off, the machines created shoddy clothing