Final answer:
The exact population of Toronto in 1834 is not specified, but historical context implies it was likely in the low thousands. A report from 1858 suggests between 1,200 and 1,600 free people of color lived in Toronto at the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The population of Toronto in 1834 is not explicitly stated in the reference information provided. However, we can gauge from available historical context that during the early 19th century, the population of Toronto was likely quite small in comparison to other major cities of the time. By 1858, it is claimed that between 1,200 and 1,600 free people of color lived in the city, which can suggest that the overall population in 1834 was likely in the thousands, as the city was just beginning to grow and urbanize in the early part of the 19th century. The reference to the early 17th and 18th centuries indicates that until then, populations exceeding 100,000 in cities were exceptional, which further supports the idea that Toronto’s population would have been much smaller during that period.
It is also important to note that the available reference material discusses the burgeoning growth of populations in cities around the world. For example, by the end of the 18th century, Paris had a population of over 670,000, and London had over 800,000 residents, underscoring the relatively smaller scale of Toronto's population at that time. Similarly, African American refugees settling in the area and the subsequent population data provided for the mid-19th century offer some insight into the city's growth around that period, but do not give precise numbers for 1834.