Bonfire Night Family Quiz
Bonfire Night Family Quiz
The Gunpowder Plot is celebrated on 5 November with a national holiday called Bonfire Night. The Gunpowder Plot is introduced early to children throughout the United Kingdom with this nursery rhyme:
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!
Commemorating the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot to blow up parliament, Bonfire Night is celebrated in my family with hot chocolate and (safe) fireworks.
This will be the fist time in three years that we have been able to celebrate the holiday, so everyone is very excited for the event! Celebrate this year and learn all about the history of Guy Fawkes with our Bonfire Night family quiz.
Questions:
- Who was the Gunpowder plot targeting and why?
- Who was the leader of the Gunpowder plot?
- When did it stop being illegal to *not* celebrate bonfire night?
- Where was Guy Fawkes from?
- How many barrels of gunpowder were discovered under Parliament?
Answers: (no cheating!)
- The Gunpowder Plot's aim was to assassinate King James I of England, who was a Protestant, so that he could be replaced with a Catholic monarch.
- This is a bit of a trick question… The leader of the Gunpowder plot was actually Robert Catesby (not Guy Fawkes) who was a prominent Catholic.
- Although this might sound like a silly question it was actually illegal to *not* celebrate bonfire night until 1959! However this is not including the World Wars when fireworks were banned and people had to celebrate in their homes.
- Guy Fawkes was originally from York. His school, St Peters York, still refuses tooth's day to partake in the burning of the Guy and some other Bonfire Night traditions in respect of their former pupil
- Guy Fawkes was discovered guarding thirty six barrels of gunpowder on the eve of the plot which was set to take place the next day during the official opening of parliament. If the plot had succeeded this would have destroyed Parliament and other buildings up to five hundred metres away.
Comments
Marie
December 03 2020
I can’t resist saying that because of this holiday, Guy Fawkes has been “celebrated” and remembered many more times than poor old King James I can ever hope for! Thanks for the nifty quiz!
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