The Gun Powder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was a result of the inconsistent policies of King James I toward English Catholics. An attempt to increase toleration for, if not completely convert England back to the Catholic faith, the Gunpowder Plot was a well planned, well funded, but miserable catastrophe for the Catholic Church. The plot, which was intended to help with the advancement of Catholicism, set the church back dramatically and established distrust between the state and the Catholic Church that was virtually irreparable. The aftermath of the plot was devastating to the church. King James made existing laws against Catholics more severe and passed several new laws immediately after the Gunpowder Act was revealed. The plot also increased the national hatred of “popery”. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 proved to be a major setback to the status of the Catholic’s in England. The final years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign brought troubled times for Catholics all over England. During her reign, the penalties for practicing Catholicism dramatically increased, making life for Catholics much harder and more expensive. Mass in England could not be practiced publicly or privately. If a Catholic priest were discovered, he would be jaile
He had devised a scheme to blow up the parliament house with gunpowder in order to destroy the King and his existing government. The Gunpowder Plot (1605), which sprang from Catholic anger at the predisposition of fines and penalties that James had earlier relaxed, led to greater harshness toward Catholics and prevented any cordial relations thereafter . The aftermath of the gunpowder plot proved to be disastrous for the Catholic Church. Not only did the gunpowder plot backfire, and expose the carefully planned conspiracy of the Catholics, it also gave Parliament an excuse to make laws against Catholics even stricter. These plot however, were unsuccessful and had negative consequences for the Catholics as a group. These plots caused Parliament to re-establish Elizabethan penal laws. The Penal Laws stated that it was high treason to practice Catholicism. These laws also stated that there would be severe punishments for people who attended mass. As a result of the plots, life once again became dangerous for Jesuit priests, and all Catholics who continued to practice their faith. The plots which had been intended to help Catholicism, actually acted as a setback by increasing government suspicions, and giving Parliament reason to pass laws, which persecuted Catholics. Initially James did seem more lenient, but when Catholics James’ actions changed, and Catholics realized that he did not intend to grant absolute toleration to Catholics, their disappointment and feeling of betrayal for James was expressed in a violent fashion. The desperation of Catholics grew as time went on, and James did nothing to help Catholics. He continued to collect fins from recusants and made no steps toward re-establishing the Catholic religion. King James’ betrayal enraged some Catholics, and resulted in the formation of some plots intended to force James to carry out his promises and grant partial toleration to Catholics.
Some topics in this essay:
Gunpowder Plot,
Lords Commons,
Catholic Church,
English Catholics,
Penal Legislation,
Penal Laws,
Father Garnet,
Protestants Parliament,
Catholics James’,
James’ Secretary,
gunpowder plot,
jesuit priests,
catholicism england,
catholic church,
gunpowder plot 1605,
parliament house,
penal laws,
king james,
plot 1605,
catholic religion,
laws catholics,
restore catholicism england,
wright thomas percy,
plot increased national,
gerard father garnet,
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Approximate Word count = 2222
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)
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