In Europe, there are many different holidays that are celebrated with bonfires and called Bonfire Night. Guy Fawkes Night, which is celebrated in Britain on November fifth, is one of the most famous. It celebrates the failure of an assassination plot in 1605. Catholics living in an English providence wanted to kill the king, his nearest relatives, his advisers, and other well-known figures at a Parliament meeting at the House of Lords, hopeful that the next king would be catholic. Guy Fawkes, who was a plotter, was assigned to guard gunpowder under the House. An anonymous letter (which later turned out to be from some of the plotters’ wives) told the authorities that they were in danger. Even though they thought it was a prank, they showed the letter to King James. They were commanded to search the cellar of the House. Fawkes was caught leaving the cellar since his shift was up. He was arrested and the gunpowder was found under piles of firewood and coal. The public was allowed to celebrate the failure with small bonfires. The next January, Parliament passed an act making November fifth a holiday—Guy Fawkes Night. The day is still celebrated with bonfires and fireworks.

Bibliography

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Gunpowder Plot. (n.d.). Retrieved 5 22, 2019, from Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot

Guy Fawkes. (n.d.). Retrieved 5 22, 2019, from Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes

Guy Fawkes Night. (n.d.). Retrieved 5 22, 2019, from Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night

Privy council. (n.d.). Retrieved 5 22, 2019, from Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privy_council