1. Starter – What do these images have in common?

2. Title: Were the Luddites just mindless thugs?
06 September September September 2019
Learning Objective:
To investigate the cause, course and consequences of the Luddites .
Key Words : Luddites / Industrial Revolution
Success Criteria:
Good: To describe who the Luddites were= L4
Great: To explain why the Luddites were violent towards machinery = L5
Awesome: To evaluate if the Luddites were really ‘just mindless thugs’ = L6

3. Activity: Source Hunt
Find the sources around the room and complete your tables actions of the Luddites.

4. Wall of Truth: Prepare to explain yourself!
Thinking about everything you have learnt today, get ready to stand against the Wall of Certainty, and answer this question:
“The Luddites were just mindless thugs.”
Try to mention which sources you use in your answer
If you agree
If you disagree
The staying alive game is played by people choosing to go to one side of the room or the other or stay in the middle based on which answer they think is correct.

5. Re-visit the Success Criteria: Have you made any progress this lesson?
Learning Objective:
To investigate the reasons for and actions of the Luddites .
Success Criteria:
Good: To describe who the Luddites were= L4
Great: To explain why the Luddites were violent towards machinery = L5
Awesome: To evaluate if the Luddites were really ‘just mindless thugs’ = L6

6. Source A: A drawing from 1812 showing 2 men attacking a Power Loom.

7. Source B: A ‘WANTED’ poster dated 1811
Source B: A ‘WANTED’ poster dated The poster offers a reward for providing information leading to a Luddite being convicted.

8. Source C: A letter from the leader of the Luddites to a machine owner Sir, Information has just been given that you are a holder of those detestable shearing-frames and I was asked by my men to write to you to give you fair warning to pull them down. If they are not taken down by the end of the week I shall send at least 300 men to destroy them. Signed, Ned Ludd

9. Luddites were mainly industrial workers from the north of England, including Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Between they destroyed machinery that they felt was threatening their way of life. They attacked in the middle of the night and always in large groups. They were a feared mob amongst factory owners. They did not have the vote, so could not put pressure on the government to help them.
Source D: Taken from a website dedicated to the Industrial Revolution .

10. Source E: From a report by a local magistrate in 1813 .
The government passed a law that made ‘Machine Breaking’ a hanging offense to deter others from the vandalism. 12,000 troops had to be sent into the worst affected areas to deal with the Luddites. 17 men were executed in York for machine breaking, and 3 were executed for murdering a factory owner in Soon these villains will disappear and never be spoken of again.