Gunpowder Plot School Resources

Why do you think King James I ordered people to celebrate 5th November each year after the plot failed?

In January 1606 James I passed a thanksgiving act to celebrate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot and his deliverance from danger. Called the Observance of 5 November Act 1605, it involved a special church service, bonfires and fireworks. It remained in force until 1859 although celebrations still take place today.

Prompt your students to think about why James I may want people to remember what happened to Guy Fawkes and the other plotters. James I may have wanted to deter any other acts of treason and wanted people to fear what could happen to them if they were to rebel against him.

What do you think Robert Catesby meant by “The nature of the disease required so sharp a remedy.”

Catesby might have been referring to the poor treatment of Catholic people (the disease) and that the only solution would be something drastic (sharp). Prompt students to consider his use of the words 'disease' and 'remedy'.

Imagine you are Lord Monteagle and you received the anonymous letter. Would you report it? Why/why not?

Prompt your students to think about if they would support the plot. Would they fight for religious freedom and blow up the King and Parliament? Remember, conditions for Catholic people had been extremely bad. Many people had been imprisoned and executed because of their faith.

Supporting the plotters:

Not reporting the letter would mean the plot might succeed. Conditions for Catholic people might improve. However, if the plot went ahead, it would cause the death of King James I and many innocent people. Do your students think this is justifiable?

Not supporting the plotters:

Reporting the letter could lead to the failure of the plot. Conditions for Catholic people could become worse than before. Additionally the plotters could be tortured and executed. Would your students want to support the plotter's fight for religious freedom?

If the plot had succeeded, what do you think would have happened next? What might the plotters do? How might this change Britain?

The plotters plans were to rally a Catholic uprising in the Midlands after the explosion. They planned to kidnap the King's young daughter, Princess Elizabeth, and used her as a figurehead for a new Catholic England.

Prompt your students to think about life in a new Catholic England. Would this have lead to religious equality? Would life be peaceful and fair for Catholics, Protestants and others?

Compare Fawkes signature before/after the interrogation. How are they different? What does this tell you?

See the image bank below. Guy Fawkes signed his name clearly before his interrogation. He was then questioned and tortured at the Tower of London. This might have involved the rack.

The rack was a horrible device, designed to inflict excruciating pain. A prisoner’s limbs would be pulled in opposing directions until the joints were dislocated or separated.

Prompt your students to describe the different signatures and reflect on the impact of Guy Fawkes' interrogation.