Diverse Interpretation of Guy Fawkes Day Over The Years
Initially, the Observance of 5th November Act was passed for the annual celebration of the failed conspiracy against King James I, the British government and the people. However, in the 17th century Protestants honored the day as a celebration of God’s deliverance of Great Britain from the perilous rule of the Roman Catholic.
BRIDGWATER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 05: The ‘Gremlins’ club exhibit a ‘Day of the dead’ themed cart during the annual Bridgewater Carnival on Bonfire night on November 5, 2016, in Bridgwater, England. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
It soon became a ceremony tainted with Protestant religious undertones and anti-Catholic sentiments. These anti-Catholic sentiments did not tone down until the 1850s. Over time, Guy Fawkes Day became a social celebration.