Gunpowder Day

Gunpowder Day (Guy Fawkes Night, Fireworks) takes place on November 5 in the UK. The holiday is celebrated in honor of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605. This historic event could change a lot, but it turned out to be a failure. Let’s remember what happened?

History

The gunpowder plot was led by Robert Catesby, the leader of a group of provincial English Catholics. With influential associates, he created a plan to assassinate the reigning monarch, King James. The idea was developed for a long time: the king was supposed to visit parliament and die from an explosion.

It took months to equip the basement under the chamber with powder kegs. There were 36 of them in total. Responsible for the undermining was Guy Fawkes, who never had time to implement the treacherous plan: he was caught and detained.

The news quickly spread among the population. People thanked for the quick disclosure of the crime, rejoiced for the health and well-being of the king. On November 5, everyone left the house, lit bonfires and released dozens of fireworks to show their feelings. Since then, on Gunpowder Day, the sky is ablaze with lights, and people remember the tragedy that never happened.

Interesting facts

5 Surprising Guy Fawkes Facts:

1. Converted to Catholicism at the age of 16.
2. He was not the leader of the conspiracy, but he was a key figure.
3. After the arrest, he was taken to the king – Fox answered calmly and confidently, calling Jacob a “disease”, and regretted that the plan was not successful.
4. During the conspiracy, he called himself an invented name – John Johnson.
5. He was supposed to be quartered, but the villain jumped off the gallows and instantly broke his neck. Fox’s body was cut into pieces and sent to different parts of the country to warn other conspirators.

How to celebrate

The holiday is spectacular! If you have the opportunity to attend events, this is a must do! It is also noted in New Zealand, South Africa, Australia. Bonfires, fireworks, firecrackers – the cities are noisy and fun. People burn a stuffed Fox, cook fire toffee, gingerbread pies.

When is Gunpowder Day celebrated in 2022?

Gunpowder Day is observed on November 5 each year.

Observations