Expressive acts : celebrations and demonstrations in the streets of Victorian Toronto

This book reveals the fascinating history of how and why people gathered in the streets of Victorian Toronto – both in jubilation and in anger. "In nineteenth-century Toronto, people took to the streets to express their jubilation on special occasions, such as the 1860 visit of the Prince of Wales and the return in 1885 of the local Volunteers who helped to suppress the Riel resistance in the North-West. In a contrasting mood, people also took to the streets in anger to object to government measures, such as the Rebellion Losses bill, to heckle rival candidates in provincial election campaigns, to assert their ethno-religious differences, and to support striking workers. Expressive Acts examines instances of both celebration and protest when Torontonians publicly displayed their allegiances, politics, and values. The book illustrates not just the Victorian city's vibrant public life but also the intense social tensions and cultural differences within the city. Drawing from journalists' accounts in newspapers, Expressive Acts illuminates what drove Torontonians to claim public space, where their passions lay, and how they gave expression to them."-- Provided by publisher Contents 5 Maps and Illustrations 7 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction 13 1 Tory Rebels and a Viceregal Visit 27 2 The Press and Election Culture 50 3 A Prince in Town 74 4 Religious Processions and Disorder 97 5 Colonialism Triumphant: Celebrating the Suppression of the North-West Resistance of 1885 119 6 Boys, Young Men, and Disorder 146 7 Strikers and Their Supporters 164 Conclusion 189 Notes 195 Index 237