GUY FAWKES' NIGHT
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Remember,
remember the fifth of November, Gunpowder treason and plot. We see no reason Why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot! Nursery rhyme |
On
5 November every year, children in Britain get excited
because it is Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes' Night).
They lit bonfires and enjoy firework displays.
They do these things because they're remembering when the King of England,
James l, and the Houses of Parliament were nearly blown up with gunpowder.
But why did Guy Fawkes want to kill the King and the
king’s leaders?
When Queen Elizabeth 1st took the throne of England she made some laws
against the Roman Catholics. Guy Fawkes was one of a small group of
Catholics who felt that the government was treating Roman Catholics
unfairly. They hoped that King James 1st would change the laws, but
he didn’t.
So, a group of men led by Robert Catesby plotted to
kill King James and blow up the Houses of Parliament. Guy Fawkes
was one of the group. The plot was simple – the next time Parliament
was opened by King James 1st, they would blow up everyone there with
gunpowder.
They bought a house next to the Parliament building. It had a cellar
which went under the parliament building. They planned to put gunpowder
under the house and blow up the parliament and the king.
Guy Fawkes was given the job to keep watch over the
barrels of gunpowder and to light the fuse. On the morning of 5 November,
soldiers discovered Guy hidden in the cellar and arrested him. The trail
of gunpowder at his feet would never be lit.
He was taken to the Tower of London and was tortured and questioned
about the other plotters. To start with, he didn’t tell the soldiers
anything about the plot but eventually he started to tell the truth.
In celebration of his survival, King James ordered that the people of
England should have a great bonfire on the night of 5 November
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At the end of October children begin to collect wood to make the bonfire.
They make up a life-size puppet of Guy Fawkes with
old clothes, straw and newspapers. In the week before Bonfire
Night, children take their guys on the corners of the streets
and beg passers by for ‘A penny for the Guy’.
This money is used to buy fireworks.
On that night, the fire is usually kept burning for many hours and it
is great fun to gather round, eat roast potatoes, gingerbread cookies
and other special treats while watching the Guy burn.
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CAN
YOU DO THIS QUIZ
?
MORE ACTIVITIES
* Can you move the gunpowder barrels into their correct positions? You can try HERE.
* Do you want to enjoy some Guy Fawkes Fireworks ? Click HERE and follow the instructions given.