The names “upper” and “lower” come from their position along the St. Lawrence River. Upper Canada was up river, closer to the source and Lower Canada was down river, closer to the mouth of the great waterway. To travel “up river” you had to paddle against the current.
Why was Upper Canada called Upper Canada?
The “upper” prefix in the name reflects its geographic position along the Great Lakes, mostly above the headwaters of the Saint Lawrence River, contrasted with Lower Canada (present-day Quebec) to the northeast.
What was Upper Canada called before?
Canada West
With the Act of Union in 1841, it was renamed Canada West and merged with Lower Canada (Canada East) into the Province of Canada. Upper Canada was the predecessor of modern-day Ontario.
What was Upper and Lower Canada called?
the Province of Canada
In 1841, Upper Canada and Lower Canada were renamed Canada West and Canada East, respectively. They were united as the single colony of the Province of Canada. Lower Canada was a British colony from 1791 to 1840. Its geographical boundaries comprised the southern portion of present-day Quebec.
Why was Upper and Lower Canada divided?
To accommodate the English-speaking Loyalists in Quebec, the province was divided into francophone Lower Canada and anglophone Upper Canada under the Constitutional Act in 1791.
Why was Lower Canada called Lower Canada?
The prefix “lower” in its name refers to its geographic position farther downriver from the headwaters of the St. Lawrence River than its contemporary Upper Canada, present-day southern Ontario. Lower Canada was abolished in 1841 when it and adjacent Upper Canada were united into the Province of Canada.
What was Canada called before Canada?
Prior to 1870, it was known as the North-Western Territory. The name has always been a description of the location of the territory.
What was Toronto called before?
York
From August 1793 to March 1834, the settlement was known as York, sharing the same name as the county it was situated in. The settlement was renamed when Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe called for the town to be named after the Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany.
What language did Upper Canada speak?
From 1791 to 1841 the region was known as Upper Canada and from 1841 to 1867 as Canada West, though the two names continued to be employed interchangeably. Canada West was settled primarily by English-speaking immigrants.
What was Alberta called before 1905?
Until 1905 all the area west and north of Manitoba was called the Northwest Territories. It was a vast area that, for a long time, was home mostly to Indigenous peoples, Métis and fur traders from the Hudson’s Bay Company. A few settlers were trickling in and a limited form of government was established in 1875.
Who owned Canada first?
Royal New France
In 1604, the first European settlement north of Florida was established by French explorers Pierre de Monts and Samuel de Champlain, first on St. Croix Island (in present-day Maine), then at Port-Royal, in Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia). In 1608 Champlain built a fortress at what is now Québec City.
What was Lower Canada called?
Canada East
Canada East, also called Lower Canada, in Canadian history, the region in Canada that corresponds with modern southern Quebec. From 1791 to 1841 the region was known as Lower Canada and from 1841 to 1867 as Canada East, though the two names continued to be used interchangeably.
What did Toronto used to be called in 1812?
American troops rampaged through York during the War of 1812, which was provocation that led to British troops famously burning the White House. Early in the afternoon of April 27, 1813, the earth moved for the residents of the town of York, destined to become the city of Toronto.
Why did Britain create Upper and Lower Canada?
In 1841, Britain united the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada into the Province of Canada. This was in response to the violent rebellions of 1837–38. The Durham Report (1839) recommended the guidelines to create the new colony with the Act of Union.
What happened to Lower Canada?
The rebellion in Lower Canada, which is also known as the Patriots’ War (la Guerre des patriotes), also gave French Canadians one of their first nationalist heroes in Louis-Joseph Papineau. In 1837 and 1838, French Canadian militants in Lower Canada took up arms against the British Crown in a pair of insurrections.
When did Upper Canada abolish slavery?
July 9, 1793
A compromise was reached and on July 9, 1793 an Act was passed that prevented the further introduction of slaves into Upper Canada and allowed for the gradual abolition of slavery although no slaves already residing in the province were freed outright.
What is the nickname of Canada?
Although it is unknown who coined the term Great White North in reference to Canada, the nickname has been in use for many decades. The general breakdown is that Canada is “Great” because it’s the second largest country in the world.
Why is Nova Scotia called New Scotland?
Nova Scotia was named by Sir William Alexander, who received a grant to all the land between New England and Newfoundland from King James VI of Scotland (King James I of England) in 1621. The official charter was in Latin and the name “New Scotland” retained its Latin form — Nova Scotia.
Why was Canada divided?
To accommodate the influx of English-speaking Loyalists in Central Canada, the Constitutional Act of 1791 divided the province of Canada into French-speaking Lower Canada (later Quebec) and English-speaking Upper Canada (later Ontario), granting each its own elected legislative assembly.
What did the Indians call Canada?
The name “Canada” likely comes from the Huron-Iroquois word “kanata,” meaning “village” or “settlement.” In 1535, two Aboriginal youths told French explorer Jacques Cartier about the route to kanata; they were actually referring to the village of Stadacona, the site of the present-day City of Québec.
What did the French call Canada?
New France
The terms “Canada” and “New France” were also used interchangeably. French explorations continued west “unto the Countreys of Canada, Hochelaga, and Saguenay” before any permanent settlements were established.