, ▁domin ated ▁the ▁surrounding ▁areas . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 2 1 , ▁a ▁cour th ouse ▁was ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁town . ▁The ▁county ▁seat ▁was ▁then ▁moved ▁from ▁Charles ▁Town , ▁on ▁the ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁Pat ux ent , ▁to ▁Upper ▁Mar l borough . ▁The ▁cour th ouse ▁was ▁built ▁with ▁money ▁from ▁a ▁ 1 2 - p ound ▁to b acco ▁tax ▁im posed ▁on ▁county ▁inhabitants . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁laws ▁passed ▁at ▁the ▁cour th ouse ▁was ▁the ▁Public ▁School ▁Act , ▁which ▁established ▁a ▁public ▁school ▁system . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 4 , ▁Upper ▁Mar l bor o ▁was ▁seized ▁by ▁British ▁forces ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Major - General ▁Robert ▁Ross ▁and ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁George ▁C ock burn ▁during ▁the ▁campaign ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Bl ad ens burg ▁and ▁the ▁Burn ing ▁of ▁Washington . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 th ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁centuries , ▁many ▁prominent ▁mer ch ants , ▁law y ers , ▁and ▁polit icians ▁lived ▁and ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁Hor se ▁racing ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁around ▁the ▁mid - 1 8 th ▁century ▁and ▁attract ed ▁many ▁people ▁from ▁the ▁surrounding ▁areas . ▁The ▁Maryland ▁J ockey ▁Club ▁spons ored ▁spring ▁and ▁summer ▁races ▁at ▁the ▁race ▁track ▁south ▁of ▁town , ▁and ▁racing ▁continued ▁there ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁moved ▁to ▁the