Terrorism Reference Primary Sources | Charlotte Brontë

Excerpt from Shirley: A Tale

Originally published in 1849

"Misery generates hate: these sufferers hated the machines which they believed took their bread from them: they hated the buildings which contained those machines; they hated the manufacturers who owned those buildings."

As the nineteenth century dawned, the Industrial Revolution, a period of growth and reliance on machinery to produce goods, was gaining momentum in England. Even in its infancy, the Industrial Revolution had begun to cause economic dislocation. Individuals who had woven or knitted cloth in their homes could not compete with the efficient new mechanized knitting machines (called frames) being installed in factories and textile mills.

At the same time, England was at war with France. The British government designed policies primarily to hurt France economically, not to benefit British citizens. As a result,...