Fun Fireworks Facts to Share on Independence Day

Did you know that China was the first to invent fireworks and their original purpose were to ward off evil spirits and extremelytall mountain men? The Chinese roasted bamboo over coals, and when the wood expanded it burst, making a loud noise that scared off intruders. Later theydiscovered that a mixture of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal created an explosion when ignited. This led to the bamboo sparkler (and gunpowder).Read on to discover more interesting facts about fireworks!

Many of the shapes fireworks make are named after flowers. A peony is the most common form of firework “flower”. This firework explodes like a star with smaller stars shooting off in every direction. Other forms ofthe peony firework are the dahlia and chrysanthemum. Look through this guide for spotting fireworkshapes, and see if you can recognize them this weekend!

Their chemical composition determines their color.The very first fireworks exploded in either a white or orange color. Vibrant hues were incorporated in the 1830’s, when the Italians took the originalfirework and discovered that adding trace amounts of metals like copper, calcium, or sodium could alter color. Learn how it works here.

Different firework recipes produce different sounds. The chemical elements of a firework produce a unique sound when each layer burns. When you hear whistling, hissing, or loud pops, it could mean that thefirework contains potassium, aluminum, or titanium.

The first recorded firework celebration was King Henry VII’s wedding in 1486. There was good reason to celebrate with such panache, as this wedding marked the union of the House of York and the House of Lancaster, two groups with ahistory of feuding over the throne.

Dubai set the Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks display in 2014. The impressive display included over 450,000 fireworks exploding in just under six minutes. This New Year’s celebration broke the previous world recordheld by Kuwait in 2011. Watch the video below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IchJ_2paHNs