Who Invented Fireworks?

We all know fireworks to be a joyous tool for celebrations but how many of us know just how they came about? Fireworks have been around for a couple of centuries and their beginning was like many inventions, a happy accident.

How Fireworks Came About

An ancient Chinese alchemist was searching for the formula for eternal life. He combined potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur when it accidentally caught fire causing a small explosion. He inadvertently created what we know today as gunpowder. 

The Chinese people already had the tradition of tossing bamboo into the fire to ward off evil spirits. When the bamboo was packed with the alchemist’s concoction it created a much louder bang. And just like that, fireworks were born.

Fireworks Travel West

When European and Arabian visitors arrived in China they discovered this wondrous invention and took it home with them. They were used to celebrate royal weddings and military victories.

Centuries later, Italians began experimenting with fireworks, adding metal salts to create colorful light displays. At last, the modern fireworks we know today were born in the 1830s.

America’s First Fireworks Display

Fireworks were used to celebrate our Declaration of Independence in 1776, but they didn’t look like the modern ones we know. They were a simple orange color as the Italians hadn’t perfected them yet. But that didn’t stop our ancestors from enjoying the country’s first fireworks display.

Learn More About Fireworks from the Pros

If you want to learn more about the history of fireworks and how to use them for your own celebrations, contact the experts at Sky King Fireworks. Our team can assist you in making holiday memories that will last a lifetime.