Remember Remember the Fifth of November

Each culture has different traditions.Last week, Americans carved pumpkins...and in New Zealand today, we're celebrating Guy Fawkes day.Some of you may be asking, who is Guy Fawkes? Well,I'll glady share about this odd character.

Guy Fawkes was a part of the English Roman Catholic revolutionaries who planned to carry out the "gunpowder plot."This plot was an attempt by a group of religious conspirators to kill King James I of England, his family, and most of the aristocracy by blowing up the House of Lords in the Palce of Westminster during the State Opening of Parliament.Essentially, this guy, Guy Fawkes, (haha) was going to blow up Parliament.


The plotters realised that no outside help would be forthcoming unless they took action themselves. Fawkes and the other conspirators rented a cellar beneath the House of Lords having first tried to dig a tunnel under the building. This would have proved difficult, because they would have had to dispose of the dirt and debris. (No evidence of this tunnel has ever been found). By March 1605, they had hidden 1800 pounds of gunpowder in the cellar. Pretty brilliant.

One of the conspirators wrote a warning letter to Lord Monteagle, who received it on October 26th. The conspirators became aware of the letter the following day, but they resolved to continue the plot after Fawkes had confirmed that nothing had been touched in the cellar.So, the Lord began to search the cellar on November 5th.However, nothing was moved, in order not to alert the conspirators that the plot had been uncovered. Fawkes, who was resolved to blow himself up along with Parliament if need be, was seized as he attempted to ignite the powder charge. Peter Heywood, snatched the torch from his hand at the last instant. Fawkes was arrested and taken before the privy council where he remained defiant. When asked by one of the Scottish lords what he had intended to do with so much gunpowder, Fawkes answered him, "To blow you Scotch beggars back to your own native mountains!"

So, now, countries who have British roots, celebrate this man who was wanting to blow up Parliament, but was instead tortured for days and then hung. So what do they do? They have massive bonfires and set off fireworks in honor of Guy Fawkes. Weird, eh?

Many popular contemporary verses were written in condemnation of Fawkes. The most well-known verse begins:
“Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder, treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.”

So remember the fifth of November.

P.S. V for Vendetta is about Guy Fawkes.