Happy July 4th 2018!

I found this image on another website, which states the photo is from Atlanta History Center’s FB page. Photograph ca. 1955. Here is the link to the photo: http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/Jilson/id/1663/rec/46

https://i.imgur.com/N1Y7wnj.jpg

An exchange student high school classmate once remarked to me on July 5, after she had attended the local fireworks show at Lodi Lake, "Why is it that in your country that the sound of celebration is the sound of warfare?"

@KDP.

Two points to respond to your friend:

1) The intention of fireworks are brilliant and colorful displays of light. The sound is simply an unavoidable consequence. It's like asking why construction is so loud. The noise is not the purpose.

2) Celebrating with fireworks is fairly universal. To suggest that it is somehow unique to the USA is a bit ignorant. Especially as they were invented and first used in China.

NI, certainly there are fireworks where the sound is designed in -- the ones that make a whistling sound.

NI: yes, over here we use fireworks, as well. We do so on New Years' Eve, not on our national holiday, but the intent is the same. There may be a professional display at other times, but for the general public setting off fireworks is only allowed on 31-12 and 01-01. Just as well, too, and not only for the reason mentioned in this ad.

However, on one thing you're wrong: the sound very much is the point of fireworks. I don't know if the story that they were originally intended to scare off evil spirits is true, but crackers are older than flares. After all, it's a lot easier to make some gun powder go *BANG* than to get the right chemicals in for the colour you want and time it right so it only flashes at the top of its trajectory and not when it's come back down again.