Final answer:
The Luddites were British textile workers who rebelled against industrialization by destroying machinery from 1811 onwards, which they saw as a threat to their jobs and way of life. This action is considered true and represents a significant historical backlash against technological advancement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Luddites attacked factories and equipment because they believed that machines were putting them out of work is true. The Luddites, a group of British textile workers, began their notorious actions in 1811, as a protest against the textiles industry's increasing mechanization, which threatened their skills and livelihoods. Their actions included destroying textile machinery, rioting, and setting fires. They were motivated by the industrial revolution's negative impact on their traditional way of life rather than by any specific ideological goal. Their opposition was met with severe governmental retaliation, including making the destruction of machinery a capital offense, which ultimately crushed the Luddite movement by 1816.
The Luddites, named after the supposed mythical figure Ned Ludd, became a symbol of the struggle against the rapid technological changes of the time. While technological advancements did create new jobs and expand markets globally, the immediate effect on skilled workers of the time was often detrimental, leading to the Luddite's desperate and destructive resistance.