The Gunpowder Plot
Before the plot
Catholics, puritans and protestants hated each other
They didn't used to talk about religion back then
The protestants didn't like the King, James I, at first because they felt that he was going easy on the Catholics
Because of all the pressure from the Protestants, James I planned to ban Catholicism from England
James I was a Protestant
The plot started in a tavern (pub) by a group of Catholics led by Robert Catesby
The English people already didn't like James I because he was Scottish
A few of the conspirators (plotters) included: Guy Fawkes, Thomas Percy, John Wright and Francis Tresham
They planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament with James I inside of it because of what he did to Catholics and how he banned them from going to their church
The build up to the plot
They then rented a cellar underneath the Houses of Parliament
Guy Fawkes (the person who would set off the Gunpowder), started to sneak 36 barrels of gunpowder into the cellar
They first dug a tunnel to the Houses of Parliament
After a few months, the gunpowder went off so Guy Fawkes had to go and buy another 36 and bring it back into the cellar
Lord Monteagle was sent an anonymous warning letter telling him about the plot so he passed it onto James I
James I was paranoid
The plot
They shortly left him because they didn't think he was doing anything suspicious
But on November 5th (the night of the plot) they came back this time and arrested him without hesitation
But Guy Fawkes lied to them and pretended his name was John Johnson
James I sent his guards looking for him on November 4th and found Guy Fawkes that night
The gunpowder was never set off and the plot failed
On the night before of the plot (November 4th) Guy Fawkes was hiding in the cellar with the Gunpowder
The other conspirators, including Robert Catesby, went and hid in the midlands trying to think up a new plan
After the plot
He was then hung, drawn and quartered which eventually killed him and it took about 2-3 days
He also confessed to everything
He finally gave away the names of his fellow conspirators who were eventually found and some killed
As a result of being quartered, the four sections of his body were sent to the four corners of England to make sure nobody commited treason ever again
After the failed plot, Guy Fawkes was sent to the Tower of London and got tortured
The main people involved
James I
Guy Fawkes (John Johnson)
Robert Catesby
Thomas Percy
Lord Monteagle
John Wright
Francis Tresham
The kings guards
Consequences
Guy Fawkes was hung drawn and quartered which was his capital punishment
Catholics were blamed for serious events for the following hundreds of years
Guy Fawkes was tortured
James I ordered that everyone must light a bonfire to celebrate and throw a effigy of Guy Fawkes onto it every November 5th