The History of Fireworks

According to several resources: Fireworks were thought to be made about 2,000 years ago when a Chinese cook accidentally mixed sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter together, making a primitive gunpowder. He stuck the mix in a bamboo tube and lit it. It exploded, blowing the bamboo to bits, thus the first Fire Cracker. “Huo yao” was the name the Chinese gave the cooks explosive concoction, it means “Fire chemical” in Chinese, but it was the Italians who made the fountains and sky-high colorful displays you see today possible. Fireworks also brought the end to the medieval style of warfare as impenetrable walls of castles could be blown to bits with a cannon.

For more information on Fireworks check out http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/local/projects/gondhia/lightcolour.html