The history of Uttar Pradesh is very old and fascinating and it has an important place in the history of the Hindus and in the history of ancient India.

In the Vedic period of Indian civilization, the Aryans ruled the state of Uttar Pradesh which they called the Madhya Desha (midland) or Aryavarta (the Aryan land) or Bharatvarsha (the kingdom of Bharat, an important Aryan king).

The great lords and the avtars of lord Vishnu, lord Ramaand Lord Krishna were born on this land. Lord Rama in Ayodhya and Lord Krishna in Mathura have special significance in the history of India.

U.P. became the heart land of the Mughal Empire who called the place ‘Hindustan’ which became the second name of U.P. (after Aryavarta / Madhyadesh). Even today UP-ites call themselves 'Hindustani' rather than Uttar Pradeshis. Hindustan is also the other name for India.

Agra and Fatehpur Sikri were important sites as they formed the capital city of Akbar’s empire, the great Mughal Emperor of India. The city of Lucknow was established by the Muslim nawabs of Oudh in the 18th century.

During Mughal Period, there were peaks of perfection and honor that effective administration, brotherhood, art, architecture, music, and culture reached. UP was under Muslim rule and was directed towards the integration of Hindu and Islamic cultures in the medieval period.

After Great Mughal Period, UP retained its intellectual leadership under the British administration. The British united Agra and Oudh into a province named the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh.

In 1935, the name was shortened to United Provinces. After India became independent in 1950 January, the United Province changed its name to Uttar Pradesh.

In 2000, the Himalayan portion of the state — the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions — were formed into a new state called Uttarakhand.