Fireworks weren't just invented all of a sudden; they were
gradually produced, with the inventions of other substances,
such as gunpowder. Although many nations claim the
invention of gunpowder, it was actually invented by the
Chinese in the 9th Century.
A Chinese cook happened to mix together three ingredients
commonly found in the kitchen - potassium nitrate (salt
substitute), sulfur (flammable solid), and charcoal. The cook
noticed that, when ignited, the three ingredients burned viciously with a considerable force. The cook apparently also discovered that if these same ingredients were enclosed and then ignited, the combination exploded rather than burned, producing a loud bang. The chemical gunpowder spread throughout the world. There are many uses of gunpowder, in Europe were mainly used for canons during war. While the Europeans were using gunpowder for war, the Chinese used it for firecrackers and fireworks.