Bonfire Night is celebrated on November 5th in the UK to commemorate the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes and other Catholic conspirators attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in order to overthrow the Protestant King James I. The plot was discovered when one of the conspirators sent a warning letter to a friend working in Parliament, and Guy Fawkes and the other plotters were caught and executed. Today, Bonfire Night is celebrated with bonfires, fireworks, and food like toffee apples and candy floss.

1. Bonfire Night

2. Bonfire Night/ Guy Fawkes Night/ Firework Night
● On or around the 5th November every year
● To commemorate the ‘Gunpowder Plot’ of the 5th November 1605, where
Guy Fawkes and others tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament

3. Why did Guy Fawkes want to blow up the Houses of
Parliament?
King James I of England was a Protestant.
Many people in England were Catholic, and Guy Fawkes and some other
Catholics wanted England to be ruled by a Catholic King.

4. Guy Fawkes and other members of the
group put 36 barrels of gunpowder under
the Houses of Parliament, ready to create
an explosion.

5. But the plot failed...
The plot was discovered because one of the conspirators
had a friend who worked in parliament. He wrote a letter
to that friend and told him not to go to Parliament on the
5th of November.
Supporters of the king found the letter and the plot was
discovered!
The King’s guards went into the cellars and found the
group with the explosives. They were arrested and
executed.

6. Every year since then, we remember what
happened and celebrate the fact that they did not
manage to blow up the government

7. Bonfires
Fireworks
Rockets
Catherine Wheels
Sparklers

8. Toffee Apples
Marshmallows
Candyfloss