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Every July 4th, many Americans celebrate their nation’s independence with barbecues, family celebrations, and fireworks. Whether it’s a few little poppers in the backyard or an elaborate show in a local park, lighting up the night sky with color and sound has become a tradition – not just on Independence Day, but also at sporting events and other public gatherings.
If you want to know where fireworks come from, how they have been associated with holidays, and when consumers get a little too big, here we have your introduction.
1. Fireworks originated in ancient China.
You have to go back a few pages in the history books to find the origin of the fireworks. As far as is known, the explosive entertainment began in the 2nd century BC. In Liuyang, China. Bamboo sticks tossed into campfires would make a “pop” sound as the air in the bamboo cavities warmed up. (Baozhu, the Mandarin word for fireworks, means “exploding bamboo”.)
Sometime between AD 600 and 900, a mixture of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal – saltpeter or rudimentary gunpowder – was poured into bamboo or paper tubes. When lit with burning tissue paper, they made an even bigger bang. The addition of steel or cast iron filings to the saltpetre made them sparkle. Old iron pots were also crushed into sand and mixed with gunpowder. The Chinese used these to commemorate births, deaths, and other occasions. In the 15th century, Europeans used the mixtures to celebrate both religious and secular events.
2. Fireworks were part of the very first July 4th celebration.
Fireworks weren’t an afterthought on the July 4th holiday – they were there all along. During the country’s first Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia in 1777, revelers set off a series of cannon and firearm explosions in honor of John Adams’ belief that the day should be marked with cannons, bonfires, and illuminations. When the ammunition displays finally dwindled – they weren’t exactly safe for the public – fireworks took over and forever marked the day as the main reason to strike a fuse.
3. Metallic compounds give fireworks their different colors.
Whether it’s Roman candles or falling leaves, fireworks share the same underlying science. Rocket fireworks consist of a mortar, fuse, propellant powder, grenade, explosive charge, and pellets known as “stars”. When the fuse is ignited, a lifting charge fires the grenade out of the mortar and into the air. Once in the air, a delayed detonator triggers a second explosion and bursting charges set free the stars, which contain metallic compounds that give fireworks their color. Each compound has a different hue when ignited: magnesium is white, copper is blue, sodium is gold, and so on. The style or design of the fireworks will depend on how the stars are arranged inside the bowl.
4. Not all fireworks shoot skyward.
Fountain-style fireworks stay on the ground, shooting sparks from a paper mortar. Catherine Wheels are fountains arranged in a ring attached to a pole; When lit, the ring rotates with the thrust of the fountains. Sparklers are simply wires coated with metallic fuel (aluminum or magnesium), oxidizer, and binding material that burn and then gush.
5. There is a trick that fireworks in the air can change colors.
How can fireworks actually move their shadows in the air? It’s pretty easy. The stars or pellets are coated with several metal salts. After the outer layer has burned through – like magnesium, which gives off white sparks – the second layer is ignited and emits a different shade.
6. One state has completely banned the consumption of fireworks.
Because fireworks can be dangerous or disruptive, or both, some states have laws on the books that restrict their use. Illinois, Ohio, and Vermont only allow wood or wire sparklers. And if you live in Massachusetts, you’re out of luck – no fireworks of any kind are allowed for consumer use. Professional displays are still fine, however. On the other hand, Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas have relatively lenient fireworks regulations for consumers.
Some states, like Indiana, require fireworks to be used only between 9am and 11pm on non-public holidays. On July 4th, Memorial Day or New Year’s Eve, you can let off steam until midnight.
7. Legal fireworks will give you enough time to avoid them.
What makes fireworks legal or illegal? The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has introduced a standard for the burning time of fuses that legal fireworks must meet. Typically, consumer fireworks are required to burn for between three and nine seconds to allow users to exit the fireworks before it is lit. Even legal fireworks may only contain 50 milligrams of pyrotechnic material.
8. San Diego accidentally set off all of its fireworks at once.
At one of the more memorable public fireworks shows, the city of San Diego, California, had a mishap during its July 4, 2012 celebrations. The annual Big Bay Boom fireworks show should be over 18 minutes with a carefully orchestrated series of detonations. Instead, thanks to a computer error, it started in just 15 seconds.
9. The largest fireworks display in the world weighed over 2 tons.
The world’s largest air fireworks display was set off in February 2020. Weighing 2,797 pounds, or about the weight of a four-door sedan, it exploded over Steamboat Springs, Colorado for the city’s winter carnival after being ejected from a tube at a speed of 300 mph. It set a Guinness world record. You can see the apocalyptic footage above.
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