Luddite Rioters Named after a mythic leader, “General Ludd,” the Luddite riots began in 1811 in Nottinghamshire and quickly spread to manufacturing districts throughout England. Their target was the mechanized looms that led to lower wages and unemployment among hand-weavers. Machine breaking was quickly declared a capital crime, and a number of Luddites were executed.

(Luddite Rioters, 19th century English engraving/Private Collection/Bridgeman Images)