The History of Fireworks

Fireworks first appeared in the 7th century. They were invented by the Chinese, and were originally believed to be a sign of luck and good fortune. Not until the 17th century did popularity of fireworks begin to spread. Until that point in history, black powder and its many uses were not known throughout the rest of the world. In the year 1765, accounts and writings by various sources were translated into the English language. Though the Chinese used fireworks for military uses as much as they did for celebrations, the latter was exaggerated to the public at the time so that people would not view fireworks as a weapon, but as a wonder. These translations eventually led to increased use of black powder and sparked interest about fireworks in the rest of the world.