Learn

Did you know that July 4th is just around the corner, ready to burst into brilliant fireworks against the night skies? On this day of celebrating our independence from the British, you will probably see parade routes, grand stands and picnic tables all decorated in patriotic red, white and blue bunting. When the parades have marched by and the bands have played the last stanza of the Star Spangled Banner and all the hot dogs you could possibly eat have been topped off with your favorite flavor of ice cream, the sun should be just about ready to give up the sky to the glorious show of fireworks.

If you have ever seen fireworks in real life or on TV, you know how spectacular they can be. You can see exploding stars of sparkling light that glitter as they fall from on high, huge shimmering golden waterfalls that cascade one after the other and bouquets of brilliant colors that burst at once across the backdrop of dark sky. It’s like magic!

Where does this magic come from? From the kitchen. Well, not your usual kitchen, a field kitchen. A field kitchen is a kitchen that has been set up outside, usually to prepare food for soldiers who are camped there. The field kitchen in question was in ancient China, somewhere around the 2nd century BCE. Legend has it that somehow three ingredients that were commonly used in field kitchens were mistakenly mixed together. They were saltpeter (a salt substitute), sulfur and charcoal (from charred wood). When the cook ignited this mixture, it burned more powerfully than kindling. Knowing he was on to something, the cook tried to encase the ingredients in a shell. When he ignited the shell, the combination exploded with a huge bang! The cook and all his colleagues felt sure they had found the perfect way to chase away evil spirits! The noisy concoction became a favorite way to celebrate weddings, battle victories and the New Year, all the while protecting against those unwelcome spirits.

The new creation became known as “gung pow” and fascination with its magical properties invited experimentation. We know “gung pow” as gunpowder. By the year 1040 the Chinese had perfected how to make a “Fire Pill” with gunpowder and chemicals wrapped in paper. There were several recipes for “Fire Pills,” each creating a different firework effect and color. For instance, the addition of strontium salts produced red fireworks and copper compounds resulted in blue ones. To create a powerfully bright white light either magnesium, aluminum or titanium had to be added to the mixture. The ingredients and methods used to make fireworks today are very similar to those in the ancient Chinese recipes.

Fireworks were one of the many exotic discoveries that Marco Polo brought home from his adventures in China. Thanks to him, Italy and eventually Europe could enjoy the night magic of fireworks. However, it wasn’t until the early 1500s that fireworks reached the United States. While they became popular for all kinds of celebrations, it’s July 4th that seems to be the most noteworthy.

Since our very first Independence Day on July 4th, 1776, fireworks have been a joyous part of the celebrations from one end of this country to the other. Wherever you are in the United States, have a very happy July 4th! And don’t miss the show!