History of Bonfire Night

History of Bonfire Night. For Melissa Bryant. People holding sparklers.

Guy Fawkes was born in England in 1570. At this time, most people in the country were Protestant, and life for Catholics wasn’t easy..

When he was young, Guy Fawkes became a Catholic. He went to fight for the Catholic Spanish army as a young man. He was known in Spanish a ‘Guido’.

In 1594, Guy Fawkes joined a group of Catholics who were plotting against the king, James I..

They planned to use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Houses of Parliament while the King was visiting, on November 5 th ..

After a warning letter was sent to a member of the House of Lords, Guy Fawkes was found in the cellar where the gunpowder was stored..

Guy Fawkes was taken to prison until he gave the names of the others who were plotting..

The whole group was punished..

A law was then passed which said everyone should celebrate on the 5 th November..

People still commemorate the failed plot with bonfires and fireworks, over 400 years later..

Reference images for the absolutely gorge houses of Parliament. Thank god they didn’t blow it up!.