Guy Fawkes Day: What’s Happening Across the Pond?

“Remember, remember, the fifth of November!” Guy Fawkes Day, also known as Guy Fawkes Night, is a celebration that has been observed for more than 400 years. It commemorates the failed ‘Gunpowder Plot,’ which was an attempt by Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament in protest against religious persecution during the reign of King James I. The celebration is held on November 5th, marked by fireworks and bonfires throughout the United Kingdom.

In 1605, a group of English Catholics conspired to destroy the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament and assassinate King James I, who was regarded as an adversary of the Catholic faith. Robert Catesby was the mastermind behind the plan, and Guy Fawkes was responsible for the explosives. Fawkes believed that he could incite a revolution against the government. However, the plot was uncovered when Fawkes was captured in the cellar of the House of Lords with 36 barrels of gunpowder. The rest of the conspirators were also arrested, tried for high treason, and subsequently executed by hanging, drawing, and quartering.

King James passed a law after the failed plot, which designated November 5th as a national day of remembrance. He urged his subjects to give thanks to God for their deliverance from the threat of terrorism. However, before this announcement, the residents of London were already celebrating the foiling of the plot by lighting bonfires and burning effigies of the Pope. The Pope was seen as the symbol of the Catholic Church and its perceived threat to England’s Protestant identity.

Over time, the religious significance of the day faded, and the celebration of Guy Fawkes Day became more secular, with the focus shifting to the figure of Fawkes himself, who was seen as a symbol of rebellion against the establishment. Today, people across England, Scotland, and Wales celebrate the day with fireworks, bonfires, and the burning of effigies of Fawkes. Despite differing views on Guy Fawkes and his actions, celebrating his failed plot has been a British cultural tradition for over four centuries.

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LUKE FANN

Editor at The City Voice

Hello, my name is Luke Fann. I love to read and write myself into a fantastical realm, but I love all genres. Of course, such a task requires assistance from my parents and older brother. I've feasted on alligators and tamed beasts like alpacas (my favorite animal), but none of that compares to my greatest weapon: a pencil. I am an editor here for the City Voice, and this is my second year writing for it.