quaternary of July party , Guy Fawkes nighttime , and New Year ’s even celebrations have all become associated with the bang and glitter of dazzling firework displays . But where did the idea come from , and how did they become so pop ?

fit in to theAmerican Pyrotechnics Association , historians believe fireworks spring up in the second century BCE in Liuyang , China . The first fireworks were actually bamboo stalks that , when thrown on a flaming , would explode with a bash because of the hollow cavum within them . Some think that these “ firecrackers ” would aid ward off vicious spirit .

Sometime later , in 600 - 900 CE , the first powder was create by meld niter ( K nitrate ) , atomic number 16 , and charcoal . This combining was then used by the Taiwanese monk Li Tan to stuff the mixture within the vacuous bamboo to create the first human being - made pyrotechnic . This process evolved from bamboo shoot to the exercise of newspaper tubing , and fuses were added rather than splurge the pyrotechnic onto a flack .

report diverge about how these original Taiwanese fireworks made it across to Europe . In 1295 , Marco Polo , the Italian merchandiser and writer , is say to have brought fireworks across from Asia . Around the time of the Crusades , which began in 1095 , gunpowder was also being used in artillery around Europe .

While powder was co - prefer into weapon , the original entertainment potential of fireworks was still understood . firework were thought to be part of the wedding celebration after the marriage of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York in 1486 .

According toEnglish Heritage , during the reign of Elizabeth I , she became so taken with pyrotechnic that she appointed an official " Fire Master of England " . Even Shakespeare dabbled with pyrotechnic and gunpowder , accidentally burning down the Globe Theatre in 1613 . Around 1830 , there were even pyrotechnic schools in Italy and across Europe to aim artist in piddle different colored explosions .

The first American firework display wassaidto have been commence by Captain John Smith in Jamestown , Virginia , in 1608 . By July 4 , 1777 , firework were used in the celebration of the day of remembrance of the sign language of the Declaration of Independence .

In January 2022 , theGuinness World Recordfor the large straight - channel firework display was accomplish in Abu Dhabi and sport 22,240 fireworks . Unsurprisingly , the Walt Disney Company is call back to be the large consumer of firework in the humanity , transport millions from China each year .

Fireworks also have their fair share of controversy , with many animal welfare supporters come to about the wallop of these displays on pets andwildlifeand the risk ofwildfiresthat can be caused .