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Queen Elizabeth is thought of as being a successful queen, and highlights of her reign include

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making the Church of England, which was Protestant.

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Catholic people did not support this decision.

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In 1603, after Queen Elizabeth had died, James I would be made the next king.

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I will govern according to the common will, but not according to the common will.

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Many Catholic people hoped that King James would be more accepting of their religion

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than Queen Elizabeth was, but King James did not turn out to be more tolerant than Elizabeth.

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When 13 young Catholic men realised this, they decided that violent action was the answer.

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The group of men were led by a man called Robert Catesby.

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He was angry at King James for not accepting the Catholic faith, and decided that he wanted

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to blow up the Houses of Parliament, where the rulers of the country met to make important

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decisions.

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The men planted 36 barrels of gunpowder in the cellar of the Houses of Parliament.

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The group knew that if they went through with blowing up this building, then the King, the

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Prince of Wales, and some members of Parliament would be killed.

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When the group members realised that innocent people would be killed, they started to have

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second thoughts.

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One of the group members decided to send a letter warning one of the members of Parliament

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to stay away from the building on November 5th.

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This warning letter reached the King, and the King's forces made plans to stop the group

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of men blowing up the Houses of Parliament.

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One of the men in the group was named Guy Fawkes.

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Guy Fawkes was in the cellar with 36 barrels of gunpowder when the King's men stormed in.

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Guy was caught, tortured, and executed.

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The people of London were told nothing of the situation other than that the King's been

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saved.

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In celebration of this, they joyfully lit bonfires in Thanksgiving.

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As the years progressed, people learned more and more of the story of the men who planned

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to blow up the Houses of Parliament, and so the bonfire celebrations became more elaborate

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and precise.

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For 400 years, bonfires have burned on November 5th to mark the failed gunpowder plot.

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Soon, people began placing figures onto bonfires, and fireworks were added to the celebrations.

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Modern preparations for bonfire night include making a dummy of Guy Fawkes, which is called

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the Guy.

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Children often make the dummy of Guy Fawkes and walk the streets carrying the Guy they

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have just made.

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They ask passers-by for a penny for the Guy.

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The children then use the money to buy fireworks for the evening festivity.

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On the night itself, Guy is placed on top of the bonfire, which is then set alight,

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and firework displays fill the sky.