Bonfire Night 

Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Every year Britain remembers the attempt by Guy Fawkes and 12 other men to blow the houses of Parliament on November 15th, 1605. This group decided to kill the king because of his persecution of Catholics.

They put 36 barrels of gunpowder under Westminster but some of the group started to have worries about their plan and one of them sent an anonymous letter to his friend telling him to stay away from Parliament on November 5th. The plotters were therefore caught and Guy Fawkes executed.

Nowadays people celebrate the failure of the plot by letting off fireworks and building a bonfire, sometimes with an effigy/ model of Guy Fawked on the top that they burn.

More information: http://www.bonfirenight.net/gunpowder.php

YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMNOnYxhpOY

(Source: Oxford University Press)

Written by Gema Grande, Head of the English Department.