How it works
These fireworks trivia questions and answers run in four rounds: where fireworks came from, the elements behind each color, the names of the bursts, and the nights the world lights them, from Independence Day to Diwali.
Read the full guide
Four rounds for any night of fireworks
Where fireworks came from runs from exploding bamboo to the music Handel wrote for a display in 1749. Colors and the bang names the element behind each color. Shells, shapes and their names tells a peony from a chrysanthemum, and the last round visits Lewes, Valencia, Montreal and Sydney.
Read it out while you wait for dark
Each round plays on its own, and the question sheet prints with a separate answer key. Read the four choices aloud and let the table call a letter before anyone taps; team scores go on paper.
- Play the shapes round just before a display: the table will be naming willows, palms and rings all evening.
- The color answers follow one list, from the U.S. Geological Survey, where lavender is a mix of two elements.
Questions and answers
What chemical makes fireworks red?
Strontium. The U.S. Geological Survey lists strontium for deep reds, barium for bright greens, copper for blues and sodium for yellows. Copper and strontium together give lavender.
Where were fireworks invented?
In China. The earliest fireworks came from China during the Song dynasty, which ruled from 960 to 1279, and fireworks were being made in Europe by the 14th century.
What is the most common firework burst called?
The peony: a ball of colored stars that burn without a tail. A chrysanthemum looks much the same, except that its stars leave a visible trail of sparks.
Does this page explain how fireworks are made or lit?
No. It is a quiz on history, color, the names of the bursts and the nights they are fired. It gives no instructions and no safety advice; the people who run a display are the ones to ask.
How were the answers checked?
Each was read on October 3, 2026 on the page linked under it: the U.S. Geological Survey's page on the minerals that color fireworks for the color questions, and English Wikipedia articles for the history, the shells and the festivals.