Washington Chides His Men–November 5, 1775

Guy Fawkes Day is one of those holidays, we think, that many people in America know ABOUT, but don’t necessarily know when it takes place, nor do they have any idea who Guy Fawkes was. Fortunately we’re here to give you some of the scoop. Guy Fawkes was one of eleven conspirators involved in a plot to blow up the House of Lords with King James I inside, killing him and setting up an opportunity to install a Catholic king instead. The plot was discovered, and Fawkes eventually confessed. Fawkes was sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. “Hanged” in this sense meant being raised by the rope, rather than dropping and getting one’s neck broken. The person would be hanged almost to the point of death, then emasculated, disembowelled, beheaded, and quartered. The remains were then put on display in a prominent place, to remind people what happens to traitors. (Those were the days!) In Fawkes’ case, however, he accidentally died during the hanging when his neck was broken. Many think he orchestrated his “premature” death. The post Washington Chides His Men–November 5, 1775 appeared first on 250 and Counting.