Have you ever imagined the circus on opening day? Everyone is cheering as the performers parade around you in the wildly colored ring. The Elephants kick up small pebbles of dust as they do tricks with each other. Imagine the balloons and confetti fall down from the ceiling as they celebrate the circus coming in town. Tumblers gracefully do tricks for all to see. This, would be how the early circus would start their show, but how was this wonderful show created?

Why was the circus created?

             The modern circus was created by Philip Astley. Only, he didn’t create the first circus ever. Different versions of the circus have been around for many years, weather it was the court jesters in the medieval themes or the early Japanese show called the Kabuki (Jando). Philip’s idea started from stunt horsemen.  By the 1770s he hired acrobats, rope dancers, and jugglers. The first circus Philip put on was in Paris (Jando). This was called Amphitheatre Anglois, it happened in 1782. Before, Philip knew it his circus was very popular and started traveling and even had a season in London. He made the circus to “lighten the world and add humor” (Jando.) Other people started to make their own versions of the circus, even though things were tweaked depending on the culture or country the show was in (Jando). Everything was made of wood in the first circus, but soon a family of brothers would create the railway circus

 

Who were the Ringling Bros.?

               In Germany the five Rune ling brothers were born. When they moved to America the family changed their name to Ringling to sound more American. The brothers were always interested in the circus, finally the oldest son got a job as a tightrope walker. Soon, the others followed and they started their own circus in 1882 (Morgan). Their circus became very popular because they traveled on the railroad. One of the other railroad circuses was called Barnum and Bailey circus. The Ringling Bros. circus ended up bankrupting the Barnum and Bailey circus. They changed their name to The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey (Morgan).

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How were people used in the circus?

              People were used in many different ways during the early circus. Whether you were a performer, director, cook, or worker everyone had to work their hardest. Clowns were one of the most popular attractions (Duncan). There were many other acts in the circus too, like the acrobats, Midgets, and lion tamers. One act was called “The Fat Lady”. She would be weighed and get paid fifty cents for every pound. Many directors were not in the show. They would control shows by putting the acts in order and with organization. Directors would also make advertisements and were in charge of transportation (Duncan).

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What kind of acts were used in the early circus?

                Imagine you're sitting in the audience in the early 1900s. You are at the Ringling Bros. circus and everyone in the circus is parading around the ring. This is the opening ceremony. A acts would usually come afterwards is the daredevil acts. This included Aeria Flight in the canons, tightrope/tumblers, and fire breathers. The fire breathers hand illusion/tricks like magicians (Morgan). HANDEL was a famous magician that started out as a circus fire breather. For the tight-rope walkers, their job was hard, They did not have the safety precautions we have today. Many died in the early circus. Many types of animals were used. The big cats weren’t declawed and defanged. They had horses where riders did trick riding. Gargantua the gorilla was popular. He was supposedly the “Largest in the world” and weighed 650 pounds. After he died they found out he didn’t even weigh half of the 650 pounds. Elephants were popular too. Jumbo the elephant was really famous (Morgan). These are just a few of the acts in the early circus.

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What was it like to travel in the railway circus?

            The train journey was very uncomfortable for the people in the circus. The circus train was like a dream because you never knew what was going to happen (Morgan). You could fall asleep in sunny Florida and wake up and it would be snowing outside. Everything was crammed together. Some cars held up to eighty people (Morgan). The Ringling Bros. circus split into four smaller trains (Duncan). One train carried equipment for the show. The second train had all of the animals used in the show such as elephants, lions. Monkeys, etc. The third train had the portable big top and seats and the last train carried officials, directors, and performers (Duncan). On this train the wealthier you were the better living conditions/quarters there were. Head directors and officials had private train cars. The railroad circus ended in 1956 because of the increase in freight rates. This tripled the cost of transportation (Morgan).

            The circus, what a great thing. From the time it was started by Philip Astley, from when it was taken to a new level by the Ringling Brothers, it has always been something for families to enjoy. Around the 1850s kids would always wait anxiously for the show to come to their town. Many adults would enjoy it too. The circus has gone through good and bad times, but it has always been the greatest show on earth.

05/17/17