Do we remember remember the 5th of November?

The 5th November marks the anniversary of the discovery of a plot organised by Catholic conspirators, one being Guy Fawkes, to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Guy Fawkes disagreed with the then King of England, King James and plotted with a group of men to fill a cellar under the Houses of Parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder in order to blow it up. The Gunpowder Plot was thwarted and Guy Fawkes was captured, sent to the Tower of London and executed.

Since that day the 5th November has been remembered as Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night. Dummies of Guy Fawkes were made with shirts and trousers stuffed with hay or paper. Children would take their guy out on the streets and ask for a ‘penny for the guy’ to pay for fireworks. At night the guys were placed on the top of bonfires.

Nowadays on this night, firework displays are set up throughout the country as fireworks are made using gunpowder- the same powder used by Guy Fawkes so long ago.

Several traditional rhymes accompany the festivities, the main one being:

Remember, remember the fifth of November.

Gunpowder, treason, and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

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