Guy Fawkes’ Night

& The Gunpowder Plot of 1605

On 5th November every year, children in Britain get excited

because it is Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes' Night).

They lit bonfires, burn Guy Fawkes and enjoy firework displays.

They are remembering when the King James l, and the Houses of

Parliament were nearly blown up with gunpowder.

Four hundred years ago, in 1605 Guy Fawkes

(1570 to 1606) was one of a group of Catholic

plotters who planned, but failed, to blow up the

Houses of Parliament in London, the place where

laws were made.

At the time, King James I was on the throne.

England had broken away from the Catholic faith

and the Church of Rome during Henry VIII's reign

(1536), but there were still many Catholics in the

country. Guy Fawkes joined up with a group of

thirteen Catholic plotters, led by Robert Catesby.

They planned to overthrow the King and put a

Catholic monarch back on the throne.

The plotters rented space in the cellars of the

House of Lords, next door to the Parliament, and

filled it with thirty-six barrels of gunpowder. Guy

Fawkes was going to keep watch over the barrels

of gunpowder and

to light the fuse. The

plan was to set of

the gunpowder

during the opening

of Parliament, on

5th November 1605.

One or more of the plotters, however, were

worried that some of their fellow Catholics and

friends would be at the opening and get caught in

the explosion and wrote a letter to warn them.

Lord Monteagle received one of the letters saying

Parliament would "receive a terrible blow". Lord

Monteagle showed the letter to the King. The

cellars were thoroughly searched and Guy Fawkes

caught.

After several days of

horrible torture, Guy

Fawkes gave up the names

of his fellow plotters and

eight of them went to trial

in January 1606. All were

found guilty and executed in the Tower of London.

Londoners were encouraged to celebrate the

King's escape from assassination by lighting

bonfires, provided that "this testemonye of joy be

carefull done without any danger or disorder" -

and an Act of Parliament soon followed, declaring

5th November as a day of thanksgiving for "the

joyful day of deliverance".

When we celebrate Bonfire Night now, it seems

very far removed from

the events four hundred

years ago. For centuries,

communities have come

together to build a big

bonfire and make an

effigy, a model, of Guy

Fawkes using old clothes

stuffed with newspaper,

to burn on the bonfire.

(See the Rhyme - Page 2)

"Remember, remember,

the fifth of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

We see no reason why

Gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot!"

© skolsida.sisselblom.se

This night has also been a focus for anti-Catholic

sentiment. Not only effigies of Guy and sometimes

of the Pope (or contemporary politicians). The

gesture is mostly a quirky tradition, rather than

hostility towards the Pope even if the name of this

event has been called Popes Day.

Other Traditions on Bonfire night

People leave their houses to walk in festive

parades, look at huge firework displays and gather

around the bonfires to burn Guy Fawkes or to

dressed up as Guy. The bonfires are used to cook

potatoes wrapped in foil, sausages and heated up

soup and to toast Marshmallows in the fire.

The traditional cake is "Parkin Cake", a sticky cake

containing a mix of oatmeal, ginger and syrup.

Some of the English have been known to wonder,

in a cheeky kind of way, whether they are

celebrating Fawkes' execution or honouring his

attempt to do away with the government.

Fun facts:

The "Guy" tradition on Bonfire Night found it's way

into our language, and by the 19th century the

word "guy" was used to refer to a strangely

dressed man. From there it was adopted into

American English to refer to any man, and is of

course still commonly used today!

Man in a parade dressed up as Guy Fawkes

Remember, remember the fifth of November,

Gunpowder treason and plot.

We see no reason

Why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot!

Guy Fawkes, guy, t'was his intent

To blow up king and parliament.

Three score barrels were laid below

To prove old England's overthrow.

By god's mercy he was catch'd

With a darkened lantern and burning match.

So, holler boys, holler boys, Let the bells ring.

Holler boys, holler boys, God save the king.

And what shall we do with him?

Burn him!

Parade - On the way to burn an effigies of Guy

Houses of Parliament on Bonfire Night

Guy Fawkes’ Night or Bonfire Night

© skolsida.sisselblom.se

Guy Fawkes’ Night - Worksheet Läs igenom texten.

A. Skriv in och översätt de understrukna orden (Engelska - Svenska):

1. _____________________ = ______________________ 16. _____________________ = ______________________

2. _____________________ = ______________________ 17. _____________________ = ______________________

3. _____________________ = ______________________ 18. _____________________ = ______________________

4. _____________________ = ______________________ 19. _____________________ = ______________________

5. _____________________ = ______________________ 20. _____________________ = ______________________

6. _____________________ = ______________________ 21. _____________________ = ______________________

7. _____________________ = ______________________ 22. _____________________ = ______________________

8. _____________________ = ______________________ 23. _____________________ = ______________________

9. _____________________ = ______________________ 24. _____________________ = ______________________

10. _____________________ = ______________________ 25. _____________________ = ______________________

11. _____________________ = ______________________ 26. _____________________ = ______________________

12. _____________________ = ______________________ 27. _____________________ = ______________________

13. _____________________ = ______________________ 28. _____________________ = ______________________

14. _____________________ = ______________________ 29. _____________________ = ______________________

15 _____________________ = ______________________ 30. _____________________ = ______________________

B. Skriv in det Svenska och engelska ordet. De Engelska orden hittar du i texten!

1 ______________________ 2 ______________________

______________________ ______________________

3 ______________________ 4 ______________________

______________________ ______________________

5 ______________________ 6 ______________________

______________________ ______________________

7 ______________________ 8 _______________________

______________________ _______________________

© skolsida.sisselblom.se

C. Läs igenom texten igen. Svara på frågorna:

1. Vilken var den officiella religionen i England på den tiden (1605)?

� Puritan � Protestant � Catholic � No specific religion

2. Varför ville man spränga the Houses of Parliament?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Varför är the Houses of Parliament speciellt? Vad gör man där?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Hur många var med på den stora ”planen” och vem var ledaren? (2 svar)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Vilken uppgift hade Guy Fawkes?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Vart straffades de som planerade ”planen”?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Nämn minst tre saker man gör när man firar Bonfire night.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Kungen utlyste dagen som en ”röd dag”. Men vad skulle man fira?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Vad brukar Engelsmän ”skämta om” att man firar? (Två motsatser)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. Fundera på… Om de hade lyckats med sin ”plan”, vilka konsekvenser hade det blivit för England?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Guy Fawkes’ Night - Worksheet

© skolsida.sisselblom.se

© skolsida.sisselblom.se

Down ↓

1. störta, kullkasta

2. tro

4. gest

5. dock, emellertid

7. paketerad

9. många

13. fientlighet

15. ingefära

17. fylld

18. fortfarande, än

19. kladdig

22. samhällen

24. rättegång

Across →

3. hedra, ära

6. känsla

8. orolig

10. hänvisa

11. konspiratörer

12. kaxig, uppkäftig

14. uppmuntrad /e/

16. lönnmord, mord

20. grundligt, noggrant

21. avrättad

23. försök

25. nutida

26. styre (av land)

27. lagar

28. tog emot, mottagen

D. Lös Korsordet

Guy Fawkes’ Night - Worksheet

E. Dra linjer till rätt ord

however paketerad

encouraged medan, under tiden

cheeky hänvisa /till/

wrapped dock, emellertid

still kaxig, uppkäftig

during uppmuntrad /e/

worried fortfarande, än

several försök

refer samhällen

communities orolig

attempt många, flera

F. Låt Guy Fawkes hitta vägen till tunnan med krut:

© skolsida.sisselblom.se

Guy Fawkes’ Night - Worksheet

A. 1. plotters = konspiratörer

2. laws = lagar

3. faith = tro

4. reign = styre (av land)

5. still = fortfarande, än

6. overthrow = störta, kullkasta

7. fuse = stubin

8. during = medan, under tden

9. however = dock, emellertid

10. worried = orolig

11. received = tog emot, mottagen

12. thoroughly = grundligt, noggrant

13. several = många, flera

14. trial = rättegång

15. executed = avrättad

16. encouraged = uppmuntrad /e/

17. assassination = lönnmord, mord

18. communities = samhällen

19. stuffed = fylld

20. sentiment = känsla

21. contemporary = nutida

22. gesture = gest

23. hostility = fientlighet

24. wrapped = paketerad

25. sticky = kladdig

26. ginger = ingefära

27. cheeky = kaxig, uppkäftig

28. honouring = hedra, ära

29. attempt = försök

30. refer = hänvisa /till/

C. 1: B,

2: To overthrow the King and put a Catholic monarch back on the throne. King James 1st and the whole Parliament i.e. all that

supported the King would die.

3. Laws (Acts of Parliament) were made there.

4. There were 13 people/plotters. Leader: Robert Catesby.

5. To keep watch over the barrels of gunpowder and to light the fuse to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

6. In the Tower of London.

7. You start a bonfire (brasa), Burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes on the bonfire, look at firework displays (tittar på fyrverkerier), walk in

parades, dress up as Guy Fawkes, eat potatoes wrapped in foil, sausages, marshmallows and Parkin Cake.

8. The King's (James 1st) escape from assassination.

9. Fawkes' execution or honouring his attempt to do away with the government.

10. If they had succeeded with their plan England might have been a Catholic country now. They might have had a different

Monarch and where that would lead the country no one knows. England would probably be very different! The way of living,

laws and regulations, religion etc.

E. however paketerad

encouraged medan, under tiden

cheeky hänvisa /till/

wrapped dock, emellertid

still kaxig, uppkäftig

during uppmuntrad /e/

worried fortfarande, än

several försök

refer samhällen

communities orolig

attempt många, flera

F. D.

B. 1. Barrels = Tunnor

2. Gunpowder = Krut

3. Monarch = Kunglighet

4. Sausage = Korv

5. Oatmeal = Havregryn

6. Bonfire = Brasa

7. Ginger = Ingefära

8. Fireworks = Fyrverkerier

© skolsida.sisselblom.se

Guy Fawkes’ Night - KEY