The Invention of Fireworks
As you watch the brilliant hues and bursts of colors in the sky on the Fourth of July or popping some black cats out on the street, you might wonder where fireworks originated. Fireworks have come a long way in the 2,000 years since their creation. And they started out in a humble fashion, unlike the garish displays seen today.
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The Beginnings
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Fireworks are thought to have originated in the Middle East, India or China, in a dry place where saltpeter is naturally occurring with carbonate. As legend has it, though, a worker discovered fireworks in a Chinese kitchen. The worker accidentally mixed saltpeter, charcoal and sulfur. The saltpeter was dropped into the fire, which contained the charcoal and sulfur.
The First Firecracker
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From this rudimentary beginning, fireworks were modified; the first firecracker was invented in 1130. Monk Li Tian from the city of Liu Yang stuffed bamboo tubes with saltpeter, charcoal and sulfur. The compressed mixture burned and the bamboo shoot exploded. Firecrackers became a source of both entertainment and to scare off evil spirits with their loud bang.
The Rocket
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At some point, the fireworks made the transition from a firecracker to something that could be propelled into the air. The Chinese placed the bamboo shoots on arrows and used bows to launch them. Soon, it was discovered that firecrackers could power themselves into the air from gas escaping them.
Introduction to Europe
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Fireworks eventually made their way to Europe. Their introduction could have come through several ways, including through Mongols who fought the Chinese, through traders such as Marco Polo in the 13th century or through crusaders traveling to the Middle East. By the 14th century every country had its own version of fireworks, with most countries surpassing China in pyrotechnic advances. Throughout Europe fireworks were used for different purposes. Germany used them in battle, while England and Italy used them in celebrations.
The United States
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Settlers to the New World brought over fireworks. They were used to mark special occasions and impress Native Americans. It was after the19th century that pyrotechnicians used color in their fireworks, something that had been missing in the earlier versions. Pyrotechnicians combined potassium choloride with various types of metallic salts to create brilliant colors. The salts in the metal produce the different colors: strontium burns red, copper burns blue, barium glows green and sodium yellow. Magnesium, aluminum and titanium were introduced to add white sparks to the fireworks.
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- Photo Credit photo by edumigue @ morguefile.com
