Guy Fawkes Night

King James I, Protestant from Scotland, was on the British throne King James I, Protestant from Scotland, was on the British throne at the beginning of the 17 th century, being very unpopular, particularly with English Catholics who wanted to restore Catholicism in Britain. Some of them planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament on the Some of them planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament on the 5 th November, On that day the King was to open Parliament session, and the plotters hoped to kill him, as well as to destroy the Parliament, by exploding 36 barrels of gun powder which they had put under the House of Lords.

Guy Fawkes Night A man called Guy Fawkes was to explode the gun powder. However, one of the plotters spoke about it, and Fawkes was arrested and later hanged. Since that day British people celebrate the 5 th of November by burning a dummy on a bonfire; they also let off fireworks at the same time.

Guy Fawkes Night The dummy, made of straw and rags, is called a “guy”, after Guy Fawkes, and children can be seen on the pavements, on the eve of the 5 th of November, asking “penny for the guy”. Having collected enough money, the children would buy some fireworks, and let them off while burning a dummy.

Guy Fawkes Night