Upper Canada

Upper Canada is an early name for land at the upstream end of the Saint Lawrence River, in early North America. It became a political entity in 1791 with the passing of the Constitutional Act, which divided the Province of Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada. The division was affected so that American settlers in Upper Canada could have British laws and institutions.

This area is the ancestor of the southern part of the present day province of Ontario, Canada. See the Canadas.

On February 1, 1796 the capital of Upper Canada was moved from Newark (now Niagara on the Lake) to York (now Toronto).