How Fireworks Came to be Part of Our Fourth of July Celebrations

One of the most memorable parts of summer is only days away. Since I live in a beach town, I’m mentally bracing myself for the influx of tourists, vacationers, and partiers that is sure to happen tomorrow. On Friday thousands of people across the country are going to be hitting the beach, barbecuing, attending carnivals, getting well acquainted with beer, and celebrating all that is America. Aside from hot dogs, hamburgers, and beer one of the most common (and most looked forward to) aspects of the Independence Day holiday are fireworks. Without fireworks the Fourth just wouldn’t feel complete. But where did our explosive entertainment come from?

While some argue their roots can be traced back to India or the Middle East, most historians believe fireworks originated in China. As early as 200 B.C. Chinese villagers stumbled upon naturally occurring firecrackers and began using them during rituals and cultural ceremonies. To make the delightful noise that everyone seems to love, they would roast bamboo, which explodes and creates a loud bang when it is heated due to its hollow air pockets. The people believed that these loud explosions would scare and ward off any evil spirits lurking nearby. 

As with many people throughout history, eventually curiosity and science came into play and Chinese chemists mixed together saltpeter, charcoal, sulfur, and other things to create an early form of gunpowder. They then stuffed the new substance into their bamboo sticks before throwing them into a fire. Thus, the first fireworks were born. 

 To find the book series that inspires these stories, click here

From that moment on, fireworks became a huge part of celebrating events, particularly military victories and religious ceremonies. So how did they make their way overseas and become part of our Independence Day celebration?

Fireworks have been a part of our Fourth of July since the very first one. It was John Adams who was the first to propose having fireworks become part of the celebrations. In a letter to his wife he wrote, “The day will be most memorable in the history of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade…bonfires and illuminations (a term for fireworks)…from one end of the continent to the other, from this time foreword forevermore.” 

And it looks like John Adams was right because on each anniversary of the 4th to this day fireworks have lit up our sky in celebration of our independence as a nation.  

Learn more about the award-winning Fujimini Adventure series.  Purchase the books here

More Bamboo Just For You

Here are some more amazing facts about bamboo:

1. Most bamboo floors come from the Hunan province of China.
2. 6 million people are employed in the bamboo industry in China.
3. 600 million people worldwide rely on the income generated by bamboo.
4. Bamboo comprises of 99% of the giant panda’s diet. Yummy!
5. Bamboo is part of the grass family.
6. Comparison: an oak tree requires 120 years to reach maturity but bamboo only requires 3 years.
7. Bamboo has been around for 200 million years.
8. Thomas Edison used bamboo as filaments in the first light bulb.
9. There a bridge in China built entirely of bamboo and without a single nail.
10. Bamboo is twice as strong as oak.

What Do YOU think of Bamboo?

Ever wondered about bamboo – that plant that pandas like to munch on and that is used to build houses and furniture in some cultures? Bamboo is fascinating. It is incredibly strong. It is also very beautiful. Bamboo has been used as the standard building material for the majority of the world for thousands of years. Apparently, bamboo can withstand severe earthquakes (6.0 and above on the Richter Scale). This is due to its amazing tensile strength, which is higher than steel. What is tensile? This relates to how much stress or pressure that an object can withstand. Bamboo is also the fastest growing plant on the planet. Believe it or not, but some varieties of bamboo can grow 4 feet in 24 hours! A pole of bamboo can regenerate to its full mass in just 6 months.

Panda Families

On Fujimini Island pandas eat many kinds of food but in the wild pandas live on a steady diet of bamboo stems, bamboo leaves and bamboo shoots. Pandas eat almost 80 pounds of bamboo every day!

A male panda is called a boar. A female panda is called a she-bear and a baby panda is called a cub. She-bear pandas have one to five cubs or baby pandas at a time. Did you know a group of pandas is called a sleuth? No, that doesn’t mean they wear trench coats, carry magnifying glasses and solve crimes.

Pandas are great tree climbers, are most active during the day and don’t like hanging out with friends. They are mostly solitary creatures. It is probably difficult to be a pandas friend.