Tolpuddle Martyrs

The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of poor farmers who lived in Tolpuddle, a small village in England a long time ago. They were called "martyrs" because they were punished for standing up for their rights.

Back then, there were no rules to protect workers in the fields. The farmers were very poor and had to work a lot for very little money. The Tolpuddle farmers decided to form a group called the Friendly Society to help each other out when they needed it.

But the government didn't like this very much. They thought the farmers were trying to start a rebellion, so they arrested five of them for being in the group. The five men were: George Loveless, James Hammett, James Brine, Thomas Standfield and John Standfield.

The government wanted to punish the farmers so that other workers wouldn't try to organize themselves too. They decided to charge them with a made-up crime called "administering an unlawful oath". This meant that they were trying to start a revolution!

The farmers were found guilty and were sentenced to seven years' transportation to Australia. This meant they had to leave their families and their homes and go to a far-off land.

But people all over the country were outraged by this punishment. They started to form groups to show support for the farmers. They had meetings, wrote letters and signed petitions. Even the King was asked to step in and help.

Finally, after a few years, the government decided to pardon the farmers and let them come home. They were welcomed back as heroes and their story helped to change the laws so that workers could have more rights.

That's the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs: a group of farmers who were punished for standing up for their rights, and whose bravery helped to make life better for workers everywhere.