Page 30 - North Haven Magazine Issue 29 Summer 2023

by Nick Giordano

As we come upon the summer season with its barbeques, pool parties, warm days and nights, we also come upon another summer fa-
vorite…Fireworks displays. Exploding rockets, big bangs and illuminating skies are huge events celebrated all over the world. In Amer-
ica, we often equate fireworks displays to the Fourth of July. But fireworks have a long history dating back to very old Chinese dynasties.

he earliest fireworks came from China monial uses of fireworks from the military evening was closed with the ring of bells,
Tduring the Song Dynasty of 960-1279. uses of them. European visitors to China and at night there was a grand exhibition
Fireworks were used to accompany many also would report back about the methods of fireworks (which began and concluded
events and became an independent profes- and composition of Chinese fireworks. with thirteen rockets) on the Commons,
sion for those first “pyrotechnicians”, who and the city was beautifully illuminated.”
were very well-respected craftsmen who The paper also noted that “Everything was
understood the complex techniques need- conducted with the greatest order and de-
ed to create fireworks and their subsequent corum, and the face of joy and gladness
displays. was universal.” Similarly, in Boston in that
same year, fireworks also lit up the sky,
These people then began manufacturing where they were overseen and conducted
what would become the first “fireworks” by by Col. Thomas Crafts over the common.
rolling sheets of paper into tubes contain- By 1783, a large variety of fireworks be-
ing gun powder and a fuse, even stringing came available to the public and by 1784,
them together in large groups to create merchants were offering a range of differ-
more impressive explosions. During the ent fireworks, which included rockets, ser-
Han Dynasty of 202 BC – 220 AD, town’s pents, wheels, table rockets, cherry trees,
people would throw bamboo stems into As the interest in fireworks advanced, so fountains and sunflowers.
fires to produce explosions. Later, they did the science. Chemists began using po-
would pack gunpowder creating their own tassium chlorate to produce violet colors
type of fireworks. while barium, strontium, copper and sodi-
um produced arrays of very bright colors.
China also developed the first type of col- Later, isolating metallic magnesium and
ored fireworks, possibly during the Han aluminum were found to burn with an in-
Dynasty, although the history is not com- tense silvery light.
pletely clear as to who actually was the first In America, the most common use of fire-
to achieve this. Chinese pyrotechnics ap- works occurs on July 4th. Huge displays
plied certain types of chemical substances are commonplace across the country cel-
to create colored smoke and fire. It is fairly ebrating our nation’s independence with
evident the Chinese pyrotechnics ability to many extremely extravagant ones in cities
create such a wide variety of colors is one large and small. Where they are legal (and
of the greatest mysteries of their fireworks. where they are not also!), small towns and It is not only the tradition of fireworks
neighborhoods have staged beautiful and displays that have excited and continue to
sky-lighting displays entertaining people excite people. Fireworks are used at ball-
and children of all ages. But why do we parks, festivals, concerts and other venues,
commemorate Independence Day by set- as well as during other holidays and cele-
ting off thousands of small explosions? brations. People often appreciate the many
Apparently, it was because John Adams festive displays simply for their bright and
wanted us to. Before the Declaration of beautiful colors and how they illuminate
Independence was even signed, he envi- the dark skies of night, but others are fas-
sioned fireworks as a part of the festivi- cinated by the design, construction and
ties. In a letter to Abigail Adams on July 3, overall technical expertise and choreog-
1776, he wrote that the occasion should be raphy that goes into creating a dynamic,
commemorated “with Pomp and Parade, beautiful and entertaining show. Whatev-
with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, er way you choose to enjoy these displays,
In Europe, fireworks were produced some- Bonfires and Illuminations from one end they are certainly a staple of America and a
where during the 14th century, becoming of this continent to the other from this wonderful way to bring people together to
widely popular by the 17th century. There time forward forever more.” Thus, the first enjoy the warm summer evenings.
even were a variety of treaties by and be- commemorative Independence Day fire-
tween European countries and China works were set off on July 4, 1777. From an
which covered among other things, the article published in the Pennsylvania Eve-
differences between recreational and cere- ning Post, it said that in Philadelphia, “The

North Haven Magazine - Summer Issue 2023
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