On occasions such as the Fourth of July (American Independence Day), the night skies are lit up with beautiful blues, yellows and reds. The fireworks cackle, spit and scream into the air. After the fireworks are done, everyone goes home. Have you ever wondered how fireworks came about?

Fireworks have been around for thousands of years in one form or another. The reasons for use of fireworks have also changed. Today, we use them as entertainment mainly. In the past, they were used to frighten off enemies and evil spirits.

An Accidental Beginning
It is commonly thought that the discovery of fireworks was actually an accident. The idea of fireworks was thought to stem from a bamboo incident. Bamboo has hollow pockets of air that explode when heated. It was thought that somewhere in China, someone put some bamboo in a fire. The bamboo exploded and frightened people. It was also thought that since the bamboo scared off people that it would also scare off evil spirits.

The fireworks that closely resemble today’s fireworks weren’t discovered until gunpowder was invented. Gunpowder was also thought to be discovered by accident. The Chinese people especially the higher nobles were consumed with the notion of immortality. Alchemists, people who used chemicals and substances to make elixirs, medicines and other substances, were trying to make an elixir of life when they discovered gunpowder.

There are ancient texts that refer to this substance. The texts refer to the explosion that occurred when it was heated. The alchemists wanted to make the substance more powerful. They put it in the bamboo sticks and threw it in the fire. The first fire cracker got its start.

This ancient form of fireworks began to change rather rapidly. It was used in warfare as a deterrent and a frightening tool to the enemy.

Exploration Brings Innovation and Cultural Significance
In 1292, the famous explorer Marco Polo brought back fire crackers from the Orient to his birthplace of Italy. The Italians were fascinated with the fire cracker and began the true art form of fireworks. They added chemicals that gave color to the fireworks such as silver and gold bursts. The Italians also developed shells that would let go of the explosion at high altitudes.

Thereafter, fireworks went from a practical use in warfare to entertainment and cultural significance. They were used in temples to light up sculptures and statues.

When settlers started coming to the New World, the Western hemisphere, they used the fireworks to impress or frighten away the Natives. They also used the fireworks to celebrate special occasions.

Fireworks lit up the sky in 1777 on the very first July Fourth. Even though in the midst of war, only a year after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the bright fireworks gave a sign of awe, hope and patriotism to the young United States of America.

Today’s Pyrotechnics
Today, there are many colors that fireworks can be made and there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of different types of fireworks.

What is Pyrotechnics?
Pyrotechnics is the science behind the fireworks of today. Pyrotechnicians, trained and certified, are able to set off fireworks at selected venues and events such as those brilliant fireworks displays you may have in your hometown. They know fireworks laws and safety guidelines that need to be followed when using and setting off fireworks. They work with local law enforcement officials and emergency medical services to put together plans of action in case things don’t go as planned.

Science Behind Pyrotechnics: How Do They Get Those Colors!
The colors in the fireworks are controlled by special chemicals that when mixed with other chemicals cause the colors we see in the fireworks explosions. The original fireworks were probably yellows and oranges. But eventually, blues, reds and even greens and purples were added in as more chemicals were added to the concoctions to make these beautiful displays. Below is a list of common chemicals used to make specific colors.

• red: strontium and lithium salts
• orange: calcium salts
• gold: iron and charcoal
• yellow: sodium compounds
• white: magnesium and aluminum
• green: barium and chlorine
• blue: copper
• purple: mixture of strontium and copper (red and blue)
• silver: burning metals such as aluminum