November 4, 1811
A group of men in Bulwell, England, armed with hammers, axes and pistols, broke into the workshop of a master weaver and smashed six mechanized looms the men thought threatened their jobs. They continued their attacks for months, with over a thousand knitting machines destroyed. Thousands of troops were sent to stop the rebellion. The workers called themselves “Luddites,” which has since become a term used for those who fear or oppose technology.
