The book starts in the barnyard of Mr. Jones' "Manor Farm". The animals meet at a meeting led by the white boar, Major. Major
shows them
that no animal in England is free. He also explains that the stuff that
they produce is taken by man and the animals do not benefit. The only thing that man gives is food to survive but they think that more money can be made by the animals. Majors lets them know that man is the source of all problems and should be eliminated. He proposes that all of the animals should avoid man's habits. Above all Major says to the animals that they cannot kill one another, that they are all equal. A few days later Major dies, but his message remains in the hearts and minds of the animals. Under the leadership of the pigs, who are clearly the more intelligent of the animals, they begin a strike against the human. After the rebellion, under the direction of Napoleon and Snowball, the animals continue to work on the farm with success.
The animals now come up with a set of rules to run their society. They are labeled "the Seven Commandments of Animalism" and are posted on the barn wall.