Which act made 5 November a day of thanksgiving?

The Observance of 5th November Act 1605 made 5 November a national day of thanksgiving in England. It was passed after the Gunpowder Plot failed and required an annual public thanksgiving for the king’s deliverance.

The act was introduced by Edward Montagu and received royal assent on 27 May 1606. Ministers were instructed to hold a special service each year on 5 November and read the act aloud. Parishioners were expected to attend and remain orderly during the prayers, preaching or other worship.

The legislation helped turn the failed assassination attempt into an official annual commemoration. Later celebrations developed into bonfires, fireworks and the burning of effigies, producing the tradition now known as Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night. The act itself did not remain permanently in force: it was repealed in 1859 by the Anniversary Days Observance Act.