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The Luddites: The Invention Of The Power Loom Machine

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The Luddites: The Invention Of The Power Loom Machine
Today's news report is on the Luddites. These people called the Luddites are destroying the new inventions of the power loom machines. They are doing this because the machines are causing them to lose their jobs and families struggle to keep up with their basic needs like food and shelter. Since the power loom machines were invented by a man named Edmund Cartwright in 1785, handloom weavers that have worked so hard for many years are getting a lower wage, and some are losing their jobs because they are not needed anymore. This is unfair to the handloom weavers because they need the money that was once provided by their original hand weaving jobs, to support their families. Much of Cromford and Manchester is going into poverty because of this. However, the …show more content…
Considering the towns were already in poverty, these actions had been causing for the towns to waste lots of time and money. The Luddites continued to fight for a higher wage when they attacked Emanuel Burton’s Mill at Middleton near Manchester and also burned down his home. When the government of Spencer Perceval took action in February 1812, they decided that machine breaking should become a capital offense. These men had no right to be breaking these machines. On the other hand, many families were in need of money and insisted to be given a higher wage. When their bosses would not deliver, they would keep on breaking machines so they could get rid of them and get their hand weaving jobs back. They had made consequences for these actions that any person that tried to break a machine would be sentenced to death. After many more attacks occurred, and many men were arrested, something had to be done to stop this. In 1813, many court cases took place to deal with the Luddites. The judge told the prisoners that it was wrong to destroy the machines and that there would be no pity for any of
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