Today we looked at the Gunpowder Plot during literacy. There are a few different versions of the gunpowder plot but this is one of them…

In 1605 King James 1 was the King of England.  Not everybody in England liked him though. A man called Guy Fawkes decided he wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament with the King inside. Guy Fawkes and his friends planned to use gunpowder to blow it up. They put 36 barrels of gunpowder in the basement of the Houses of Parliament on November 5th – this was directly underneath the King’s throne.  The King received a letter that told him of the plot so he sent soldiers down to the basement to check…The barrels were found and Guy Fawkes and his friends were arrested for trying to kill the King. Guy Fawkes was tortured until he confessed to trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament.  He was hung, drawn and quartered.

Here is the poem ‘The Fifth of November’

Remember, remember the fifth of November
The gunpowder treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, ‘twas 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 catched
With a dark lantern and lighted match.
Holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring
Holler boys, holler boys, God save the King.

So every year on November 5th we remember the gunpowder plot and how it failed. We have a bonfire and set off fireworks outside.