by Jonte Rhodes

Created on: November 06, 2007

Guy Fawkes night, or as it is more commonly called these days bonfire night, or firework night has been a British tradition since the late 1500s, recognizing probably the closest person to ever overthrowing the British monarchy and government other then through war throughout the ages. Guy Fawkes was essentially a Catholic who was against the protestant British government of the time. The religion of the country at the time was decided by the king or queen, and before this time there had been a period of switching between Catholic and Protestant as the new kings and queens took over from each other.

At the time Catholicism was outlawed in Britain and was punishable by death for all those found to be practicing it. Guy Fawkes was the leader of a plot to blow up the British houses of parliament, which is essentially the seat of British government and power in the country by smuggling hundreds of barrels of gunpowder into the cellars, and then on the 5th of November setting them all off at once, destroying the entire building and anyone in it.(This is why it is sometimes referred to as the gunpowder plot).

Needless to say Fawkes' plans went awry though and he was captured and tortured into confessing his plot. Once his confession was signed be was burned at the stake in a public square in London, which is where the tradition of having bonfires comes from. Here in Britain we also set off fireworks at this time of year, which signify what the resulting explosion would have looked like had guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators succeeded. It is certainly the biggest occasion in the British calendar when we set off fireworks, as we don't celebrate thanksgiving or Independence day etc as they do in the United States.

Another tradition that is somewhat rarer these days s for young boys to make a 'guy', which is usually a scarecrow like figure that resembles Guy Fawkes to a greater or usually lesser extent, that is then taken door to door to collect 'pennies for the guy'. This signifies guy Fawkes being paraded through the streets of London after his capture, and the figure (which is roughly life sized) is usually transported in a wheelbarrow, by small groups of boys that have usually built it.

The occasion is seen as one of the major celebration or holiday times of year here in the UK. I suppose it was started as a celebration of the plot being foiled rather then to remember the man himself, although now it is More about the fireworks and having a good time.There are usually

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