Bonfire night to most people is a sign of winter coming. It is a time for friends and family to huddle together under bursts of fireworks, drinking hot cups of soup and swirling around sparklers by the dozen. But there is a genuine story behind bonfire night which must not be forgotten. At the heart of the catherine wheels, rockets and comforting food, lies an ingrained historical tale of religion, oppression and human rights. It marks the defeat of a terrorist plot to blow up the King and the Houses of Parliament in 1605. One of the members of the terrorist group, Guy Fawkes, was discovered by the opposition the night before the explosion was due to take place. But the core intentions and reasoning behind this historical tale are a little more complicated than just a failed attack. It all stems from the deeply rooted conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics in the time of Tudor England. Guy Fawkes was part of a Catholic uprising who wanted England to return to Catholic rule. At this point in time, England was ruled by a protestant King, and Catholics were deprived of many basic human rights amongst society. On one hand, Guy Fawkes was seen as a violent criminal, plotting against his King and Country, from another perspective, he was fighting for religious and political freedom. One man’s criminal is another man’s hero. A core reason to why we may have misplaced the story, is that it is a little too close to home: Radical members of a religion planning to overthrow the government at any violent cost and inevitably making life unbearable for honest, peaceful member of their religion. This is not by any means, a situation buried within history.
TrueTube have provided a film and accompanying assembly script that reveals the interesting story behind this annual tradition. The film takes on the humorous role of reporting the news in the time of 1605, presenting the key features of the dramatic event. The accompanying assembly script provides suggested activities, the story of Guy Fawkes in depth and even safety precautions on the use of fireworks. These resources are bound to get your students thinking a little deeper this year when they’re clustered together, gazing up at an illuminated sky.
TrueTube have provided a film and accompanying assembly script that reveals the interesting story behind this annual tradition. The film takes on the humorous role of reporting the news in the time of 1605, presenting the key features of the dramatic event. The accompanying assembly script provides suggested activities, the story of Guy Fawkes in depth and even safety precautions on the use of fireworks. These resources are bound to get your students thinking a little deeper this year when they’re clustered together, gazing up at an illuminated sky.