ABSTRACT
The American circus as the people know it today dates, in fact, from the equestrian training circle of the eighteenth century. In contrast, in American circus the early trend was toward size and movement. The early American circus, then, was virtually transported from England, although elements of the circus were present in the form of itinerant entertainments some years prior to the establishment of a “circus” proper. Recent research indicates that the tent was probably not introduced in the American circus until 1825 or 1826 by J. Purdy Brown in Wilmington, Delaware. During the first half of the nineteenth century, distinctive characteristics of the American circus began to evolve. Among the major changes in the pattern of the American circus, in addition to mobility, was the introduction of multiple rings, in contrast to the typical European one-ring arrangement.
