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.