ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦- 𝐺𝑢𝑛𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 ꨄ

• Guido (Guy) Fawkes


  The most well-known of the plotters. He was found in the cellar under Parliament along with 32 barrels of gunpowder.
• Robert Catesby


  The leader of the plotters. He was Catholic and saw his father persecuted from a young age for not attending the Church of England (Protestant church). He was imprisoned during Queen Elizabeth I reign as he was involved uprisings against the government.
• King James I


  The King from 1603 until 1625. He was Protestant but his mother was Catholic, and he had good relations with Catholic countries such as Spain.
• Robert Cecil


  The chief advisor to King James I. Cecil hated Catholics. He is known for unearthing the plot. However, it has been argued that Cecil actually knew about the plot and framed the plotters.
• Francis Tresham


  Tresham was one of the main Catholics involved in the Gunpowder plot. He was related to Lord Monteagle, who he sent a letter, warning him of the plot. Tresham claimed his innocence but he was named by Fawkes and arrested. He mysteriously died in prison days after being arrested.
• Terrorist


  The threat or use of violence with the intent of causing fear in a target group, in order to achieve political objectives.
• Framed


  To make a person seem to be guilty of a crime by using false information.
• Persecuted


  To subject someone to ill-treatment because of their ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or political beliefs.
• Religious toleration


  Allowing others to practice other religions or beliefs in peace.
• Tyrant


  A cruel ruler who uses their power to oppress people (cause hardship to others).
• The Gunpowder Plot

  1. A conspiracy by thirteen Catholics to kill the King at the State Opening of Parliament (5th November 1605) due to his oppression of Catholics.

  2. The plotters were to use gunpowder to blow up Parliament, Guido Fawkes offered to light the gunpowder.

  3. He was caught on the 4th November and severely tortured until he gave up the other plotters.

  4. The plotters were caught on the 12th November, some were killed and some arrested. They were all sentenced to death by being hanged, drawn and quartered, except Francis Tresham who mysteriously died in prison on the 23rd December 1605.
• The gunpowder was kept securely in the Tower of London where only very important people could access. The records for 1604 were missing.
• Robert Cecil hated Catholics and believed that the King was too lenient towards them. He wanted them to be more heavily persecuted.
• The plotters rented a house near Parliament not long before the State Opening.
• Guido Fawkes offered to light the gunpowder, he was previously a soldier with experience handling explosives.
• Evidence P

  Robert Cecil was afraid that King James was going to relax the laws against Catholics. Cecil wanted to keep the laws.
• Evidence T


  When the trial of the other plotters was over, Tresham was taken to the Tower of London, where he died of a mysterious illness on 23rd December.
• Evidence E


  The plotters were Catholics, and disliked the policies of James towards Catholics. He had exiled some Catholics from England and threatened others with execution.
• Evidence D


  All the plotters were killed or captured quickly by the 7th November. They offered no resistance but some were still shot dead.
• Evidence B


  At the time of the plot, all gunpowder was controlled by the government. All the supplies in England were kept guarded in the tower of London, not Parliament cellars.
• Evidence C


  Lord Monteagle, who had received a warning about the plot, told the King and his ministers on the 27th October but no action was taken until 4th November.
• Evidence L


  The rest of the plotters were surrounded at Holbeach House on the 7th November, but government reports show it took 6 days after Guy Fawkes was arrested for him to name his fellow plotters.
• Evidence K


  The cellars were searched below Parliament on the 4th November and a man was found next to piles of wood. He said he was John Johnson. He was later identified as Guy Fawkes.
• Evidence J


  The house that was rented by the plotters belonged to John Wynyard, a friend of Robert Cecil and the King's official. He died on the 5th November.
• Evidence I


  One of the plotters, Francis Tresham, was the brother-in-law of Mounteagle, the person who received a letter warning him to stay away from Parliament.
• Evidence H


  The plotters had rented a house near the Houses of Parliament.