“They were principally from the gun-house, and the rockets sent up, came down in blazing paper and burning sticks upon the house itself and several of the neighbouring houses and yards, including mine—in a manner which I thought dangerous.”
Fireworks have marked occasions for centuries. The photo above by an unidentified photographer in France shows a wonderful example of these spectacular illuminations.
Citizens of the US have used fireworks to celebrate July Fourth since 1777. Members of the Adams family note fireworks several times in their diaries and letters. Along with John Quincy Adams’s 4 July 1809 quote, Charles Francis Adams writes on 7 July 1835 that “the fireworks themselves are exceedingly beautiful” and are “a far more rational and agreeable amusement than the plan of stuffing and guzzling which has heretofore distinguished us.”
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Click below to view the video, Politics & Pride: A History of Massachusetts LGBTQ+ Politicians & Campaigns, in partnership with The History Project, with Mark Robert Schneider; Samantha Gross, The Boston Globe; and Byron Rushing. Enjoy more videos by subscribing to the MHS YouTube channel after you view the video.
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