Yr 9

1. Investigating the Luddites

2. Was Luddism just mindless violence?

3. Evaluate the sources
Good/reliable things about this
source
Bad/unreliable things about this
source
How far does it help us
answer the question?
A
Letter from
Luddites
B
Physical
artefact
C
Newspaper
D
Historian
E
Popular
culture

4. Use these questions to help you
evaluate the sources
• What does this source say is the Luddites’ reason for action?
• Which aspect of this source do you think is doubtful?
• Should we treat this as a primary or a secondary source?
• Why do you think people would write a song like this?
• What do you think the author’s claim is based on?
• What motivation might this writer have for making the events sound
gory and violent?
• How does this source show the author’s bias?

5. How strongly does each source support
the view that Luddism was ‘mindless
violence’?
Supports the
statement
Opposes the
statement