Comprehension Quiz: The Weavers and the Machines

What kind of work did English weavers do before factories?

• Ironworking in large mills

• Hand-weaving cloth in their homes

• Printing newspapers

• Driving carriages

What new invention helped replace the old weavers?

• Typewriter

• Sewing machine

• Power loom

• Steam plow

Who was “Ned Ludd”?

• A British king

• A general who led the army

• A possibly fictional figure whose name inspired the Luddite movement

• The man who invented the loom

What did the Luddites do?

• Built new machines

• Burned down farms

• Protested peacefully outside factories

• Secretly destroyed machines in factories

Why were the Luddites angry?

• The government banned weaving

• Machines were replacing their jobs and skills

• They wanted better machines

• They were forced to move to France

How did the British government respond to the Luddite attacks?

• Supported the workers

• Ignored the problem

• Sent in soldiers and made machine-breaking a crime punishable by death

• Repealed all factory laws

What happened at the trial in 1813?

• All Luddites were forgiven

• New weaving jobs were promised

• Many were sentenced to death or prison

• Machines were banned

What were Luddites really fighting for?

• Free schooling

• More cotton imports

• Control over their work and respect for their skills

• Bigger factories

What changed about work after the Industrial Revolution began?

• Everyone worked from home again

• There were fewer factories

• Work became more flexible and easier

• People worked long hours in factories with strict schedules

What lesson can we learn from the story of the Luddites?

• Technology only helps people

• Progress always makes everyone happy

• New inventions can help some people while hurting others

• Factory owners should never hire weavers