The History of Bonfire Night By Susan Pheasey

Bonfire Night Every year on 5th November children and adults in Great Britain get very excited because it is Bonfire Night. Some people call it Guy Fawkes Night.

Making a Guy People celebrate by making a guy, which is a bit like a scarecrow. They place the guy on the top of a big bonfire, they light the bonfire and set off fireworks.

Why We Celebrate Bonfire Night The reason Bonfire Night is celebrated is because over 400 years ago a man called Guy Fawkes and his friends plotted to get rid of King James 1. They decided to blow up the Palace of Westminster, which is also known as the Houses of Parliament. This is a place in London where our laws are decided. They chose the 5th November 1605 because they knew the King would be visiting the Houses of Parliament for a special ceremony on that day. We call it the Gunpowder Plot. Guy Fawkes (13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606

Guy Fawkes Confession Someone reported the men before they managed to blow it up. Guy Fawkes was found in a cellar below the building with 36 barrels of gunpowder. He was arrested and taken to the Tower of London. At first, he would not say why he was in the cellar but eventually he confessed. This is part of one of the confessions made by Guy Fawkes

Celebrating People all around London were really pleased that the Houses of Parliament had not been blown up and their King had not been killed. To celebrate, people lit great big bonfires every year on the night of 5th November.

Nowadays Nowadays people celebrate by lighting bonfires just like they did 400 years ago. Most people go to an organised event where they gather around a very large bonfire.

Firework Display And watch extravagant firework displays…

Sparklers and light sparklers.

Food Eaten on Bonfire Night People also celebrate by eating nice food such as baked potatoes, toffee apples, Parkin cake and treacle toffee. Treacle Toffee Parkin Cake Toffee Apple Baked Potato

A Rhyme to Remember We say a special rhyme to help us remember the 5th of November: Remember, remember the fifth of November, The Gunpowder Treason and Plot. I know of no reason, Why Gunpowder Treason, Should ever be forgot.

Stay Safe Stay safe on Bonfire Night: Wear a coat or jacket Wear a hat Wear gloves Wear sensible shoes