While I’ve long known that Upper Canada is now Ontario, while Lower Canada is now Quebec, I’ve always wondered how the names Ontario and Quebec came about. The names Upper Canada and Lower Canada are easy to understand, since they relate to progress of the St. Lawrence River: \u00a0Upper Canada was proximal to its upper course, while Lower Canada straddled its lower course.<\/p>\n
Due to problems chiefly in Upper Canada, it was merged with Lower Canada in 1841, resulting in the United Province of Canada. \u00a0Ontario and Quebec emerged thence in 1867.<\/p>\n
Ontario, according to Wikipedia,<\/a> is named after Lake Ontario; the name originates in either the Huron or Iroquois language. \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a> also informs me that Quebec<\/em> is the Algonquin name referring to the environs of Quebec City.<\/p>\n Clearly, much more needs to be discussed (in this blog) about the history of Canada. I look forward to livening it up in future posts:)<\/p>\n Sources:<\/p>\n Bowers, Vivian and Stan Garrod. Our Land: Building the West. \u00a0<\/em>Toronto: Gage \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Education Publishing Company, 1987.<\/p>\n Wikipedia:<\/a> Province of Canada.<\/p>\n Stanford, Quentin H.,ed. The Canadian Oxford School Atlas<\/em>, 6th edition. Toronto: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Oxford University Press.<\/p>\n