History of Switzerland Timeline

In the wake of the French Revolution, Switzerland fell to a French invasion in 1798 and was reformed into the Helvetic Republic, a French client state. Resistance was strongest in Catholic bastions, with armed uprisings breaking out in spring 1798.

Image source: Helvetic Republic

Major steps taken to emancipate the Jews included the repeal of special taxes and oaths in 1798. However, many such reforms were turned back in 1815, and not until 1879 were Jews granted equal rights with Christians.

Image source: History of the Jews in Switzerland

Napoleon's Act of Mediation in 1803 restored the status of Switzerland as a confederation and partially restored the sovereignty of the cantons, incorporating former tributary territories such as Aargau, Thurgau, and Grisons.

Image source: Act of Mediation

On 6 April 1814, the so-called 'Long Diet' of delegates from all nineteen cantons met at Zürich to replace the constitution. Cantonal constitutions were worked out independently from 1814, generally restoring late feudal conditions.

Image source: Restoration and Regeneration in Switzerland

The Congress of Vienna of 1814–15 fully re-established Swiss independence, and the European powers agreed to recognize permanent Swiss neutrality. The Tagsatzung was reorganized by the Federal Treaty of 7 August 1815.

Image source: Congress of Vienna

The Federal Diet, with majority approval, took measures against the Catholic Church, including the closure of monasteries and convents in Aargau in 1841 and the seizure of their properties.

Image source: Sonderbund War

Catholic Lucerne, in retaliation for anti-clerical measures, recalled the Jesuits in 1844 to head its education, heightening confessional tensions.

Seven Catholic cantons formed the 'Sonderbund,' a separate alliance that violated § 6 of the Federal Treaty of 1814, which expressly forbade such alliances, prompting a liberal-radical move in Protestant cantons to take control of the national Diet in 1847.

Image source: Sonderbund War

Forming a majority in the Tagsatzung, radical-liberal-Protestant delegates decided to dissolve the Sonderbund on October 21, 1847, leading to a brief civil war. Conservatives around Europe became frightened, and challenges soon exploded into the Revolutions of 1848.

As a consequence of the civil war, Switzerland adopted a federal constitution in 1848, becoming a federal republic of relatively autonomous cantons. Since then, its history has been largely one of success and prosperity.

Image source: Swiss Federal Constitution

The federal constitution was extensively amended in 1874, establishing federal responsibility for defense, trade, and legal matters, while leaving all other matters to the cantonal governments.

While Switzerland was primarily rural, the cities experienced an industrial revolution in the late 19th century, focused especially on textiles. In 1888 women made up 44% of wage earners, and Swiss universities were notable for female medical students.

Image source: Federalism in Switzerland

Not until 1879 were the Jews granted equal rights with Christians in Switzerland, completing a process begun with the reforms of 1798.

From 1959, the Federal Council has been composed of members of the four major parties—the Free Democrats, Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, and People's Party—essentially creating a system without a sizeable parliamentary opposition.

In 1963, Switzerland joined the Council of Europe, deepening its engagement with European institutions while maintaining its neutrality.

Image source: Council of Europe

Financial problems with the defense budget prevented substantial funds from being allocated to a nuclear program, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 was seen as a valid alternative. All remaining plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped by 1988.

Image source: Switzerland and weapons of mass destruction

Swiss women gained the right to vote in national-level elections in 1971, and an equal rights amendment was ratified in 1981; however, not until 1990 did courts establish full nationwide voting rights for women in all elections.

Switzerland signed a free-trade agreement with the European Economic Community in 1972 and has since participated in European integration via bilateral treaties, but has notably resisted EU accession despite being surrounded by EU member states since 1995.

Image source: Switzerland–European Union relations

In 1979, parts of the canton of Bern attained independence, forming the new canton of Jura, Switzerland's youngest canton.

Image source: Canton of Jura

The final report by the independent panel of international scholars known as the Bergier Commission was issued in 2002, examining Switzerland's role during World War II, including gold transactions between the German Reichsbank and Swiss banks between 1940 and 1945.

Image source: Bergier commission

In 2002, Swiss voters gave 55% approval for UN membership and Switzerland joined the United Nations, following decades of debate and its previous rejection of membership in 1986 by a 3-1 popular vote.

Image source: United Nations General Assembly

In 2005, Switzerland agreed to join the Schengen treaty and Dublin Convention by popular vote, further integrating with European frameworks without joining the EU.

In February 2014, Swiss voters approved a referendum to reinstitute quotas on immigration, setting off a period of finding an implementation that would not violate the EU's freedom of movement accords adopted by Switzerland.

Image source: Immigration to Switzerland