The Report And Despatches Of The Earl Of Durham Her Majestys High Commissioner And Governor General Of British North America Primary Source Editio

Author : Dan Horner
Publisher : McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
ISBN 13 : 022800263X
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (28 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book Taking to the Streets written by Dan Horner and published by McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. This book was released on 2020-07-23 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 1840s were a period of rapid growth and social conflict in Montreal. The city's public life was marked by a series of labour conflicts and bloody sectarian riots; at the same time, the ways that elites wielded power and ordinary people engaged in the political process were changing, particularly in public space. In Taking to the Streets Dan Horner examines how the urban environment became a vital and contentious political site during the tumultuous period from the end of the 1837-38 rebellions to the burning of Parliament in 1849. Employing a close reading of newspaper and judicial archives, he looks at a broad range of collective crowd experiences, including riots, labour demonstrations, religious processions, and parades. By examining how crowd events were used both to assert claims of political authority and to challenge their legitimacy, Horner charts the development of a contentious democratic political culture in British North America. Taking to the Streets is an important contribution to the political and urban history of pre-Confederation Canada and a timely reminder of how Montrealers from all walks of life have always used the streets to build community and make their voices heard.