Union of Upper and Lower Canada
Encyclopedia
The Union of Upper and Lower Canada created the Province of Canada
in 1841. This province lasted until 1867 when Canadian Confederation
encouraged the two groups to split again into the Canadian provinces of Ontario
and Quebec
was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. It covered the southern portion of the modern-day province of Québec, Canada, as well as the Labrador region of the modern-day province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Upper Canada
was a British province located in what is now the Canadian province of Ontario. Upper Canada officially existed from 1791 to 1841 and covered generally present-day Southern Ontario. Its name reflected its elevation, not its latitude, as it was located on the Upper Great Lakes, upriver from Lower Canada. By latitude, Upper Canada was mainly south of Lower Canada.
Before 1841, the territory roughly corresponding to Southern Ontario
in Canada belonged to the British colony of Upper Canada
, while the southern portion of Québec
, Canada, and the Labrador region of Newfoundland and Labrador
, Canada, belonged to the colony of Lower Canada
.
. However, the new legislature maintained equal representation from the areas of each of the former colonies.
The area that had previously comprised Upper Canada was unofficially designated Canada West, while the area that had comprised Lower Canada was unofficially designated Canada East
.
The Province of Canada ceased to exist upon Confederation
in 1867, when it joined with the British North American colonies of New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia
to form the Dominion of Canada
.
Lower Canada
, Upper Canada
and their legislatures were abolished by the British Act of Union
of July 23, 1840, which came into force in early 1841.
The act abolished the legislatures of both Lower and Upper Canada and united them as one political entity, the Province of Canada
.
In 1849, Baldwin and LaFontaine, allies and leaders of the Reformist party, obtained the grant (from Lord Elgin) for responsible government and returned the French language to legal status in the Legislature.
The 1850s were a time for political reforms and infrastructure building in the Union of Canada.
(Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland) met in a series of conferences to discuss self-governing status for a new confederation.
The first Charlottetown Conference
took place in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island followed by the Quebec Conference
in Quebec City which led to a delegation going to London
, England
to put forth the proposal for the national union.
As a result of those deliberations, in 1867 the Parliament of the United Kingdom
passed the British North America Act, providing for the Confederation of most of these provinces. The former Province of Canada
was divided into its two previous parts as the provinces of Ontario
(Upper Canada) and Quebec (Lower Canada).
Geographical disambiguation
Political history
Political structure
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
in 1841. This province lasted until 1867 when Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
encouraged the two groups to split again into the Canadian provinces of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
Upper and Lower Canada
Lower CanadaLower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. It covered the southern portion of the modern-day province of Québec, Canada, as well as the Labrador region of the modern-day province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
was a British province located in what is now the Canadian province of Ontario. Upper Canada officially existed from 1791 to 1841 and covered generally present-day Southern Ontario. Its name reflected its elevation, not its latitude, as it was located on the Upper Great Lakes, upriver from Lower Canada. By latitude, Upper Canada was mainly south of Lower Canada.
Before 1841, the territory roughly corresponding to Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
in Canada belonged to the British colony of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, while the southern portion of Québec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada, and the Labrador region of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Canada, belonged to the colony of Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
.
The Act of Union
The Act of Union (1840), passed July 23, 1840 by the British parliament and proclaimed by the Crown on February 10, 1841, merged the two colonies by abolishing the legislatures of Upper and Lower Canada and replacing them with a single legislative assemblyLegislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
. However, the new legislature maintained equal representation from the areas of each of the former colonies.
The area that had previously comprised Upper Canada was unofficially designated Canada West, while the area that had comprised Lower Canada was unofficially designated Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
.
The Province of Canada ceased to exist upon Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
in 1867, when it joined with the British North American colonies of New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
to form the Dominion of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The creation of Ontario and Quebec
into a single colonial province.Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
, Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and their legislatures were abolished by the British Act of Union
Act of Union 1840
The Act of Union, formally the The British North America Act, 1840 , was enacted in July 1840 and proclaimed 10 February 1841. It abolished the legislatures of Lower Canada and Upper Canada and established a new political entity, the Province of Canada to replace them...
of July 23, 1840, which came into force in early 1841.
The act abolished the legislatures of both Lower and Upper Canada and united them as one political entity, the Province of Canada
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
.
An unhappy political union
The political union of Upper and Lower Canada proved contentious. Reformers in both Canada West (formerly Upper Canada) and Canada East (formerly Lower Canada) worked to repeal limitations on the use of the French language in the Legislature. The two colonies remained distinct in administration, election, and law.In 1849, Baldwin and LaFontaine, allies and leaders of the Reformist party, obtained the grant (from Lord Elgin) for responsible government and returned the French language to legal status in the Legislature.
The 1850s were a time for political reforms and infrastructure building in the Union of Canada.
Canadian Confederation
In the 1860s, the delegates from the colonies of British North AmericaBritish North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
(Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland) met in a series of conferences to discuss self-governing status for a new confederation.
The first Charlottetown Conference
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation...
took place in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island followed by the Quebec Conference
Quebec Conference, 1864
The Quebec Conference was the second meeting held in 1864 to discuss Canadian Confederation.The 16 delegates from the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island had agreed at the close of the Charlottetown Conference to meet again at Quebec City October 1864...
in Quebec City which led to a delegation going to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to put forth the proposal for the national union.
As a result of those deliberations, in 1867 the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
passed the British North America Act, providing for the Confederation of most of these provinces. The former Province of Canada
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
was divided into its two previous parts as the provinces of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
(Upper Canada) and Quebec (Lower Canada).
Population
| Year | Population (Lower) Canada East | Population (Upper) Canada West |
|---|---|---|
| 1841 | n/a | 455,688 |
| 1844 | 697,084 | n/a |
| 1848 | 765,797-786,693 estimates | 725,879 |
| 1851-52 | 890,261 | 952,004 |
| 1860-61 | 1,111,566 | 1,396,091 |
- Source: Statistics Canada website Censuses of Canada 1665 to 1871.
See also
Political units- Upper CanadaUpper CanadaThe Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
- Lower CanadaLower CanadaThe Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
- Province of CanadaProvince of CanadaThe Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
Geographical disambiguation
- The CanadasThe CanadasThe Canadas is the collective name for Upper Canada and Lower Canada, two British colonies in Canada. They were both created by the Constitutional Act of 1791 and abolished in 1841 with the union of Upper and Lower Canada....
Political history
- Canada under British Imperial control (1764-1867)Canada under British Imperial Control (1764-1867)Territories, colonies and provinces that would become part of modern Canada were under control of the English, and later British, Empire from the sixteenth century, when France also had claims in the area. However, the most populous areas of Canada in the St...
- List of elections in the Province of Canada
- List of Governors General of Canada
Political structure
- Joint Premiers of the Province of CanadaJoint Premiers of the Province of CanadaJoint Premiers of the Province of Canada were the leaders of the Province of Canada, from the 1841 unification of Upper Canada and Lower Canada until Confederation in 1867....
- Legislative Assembly of the Province of CanadaLegislative Assembly of the Province of CanadaThe Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...