Chronology
Some important dates
4th Century: The Roman era. The first traces of Christianity appear in the area that is today the Helvetic Confederation.
1291: Pact of alliance between Uri, Schwytz and Unterwalden
16th – 17th Century: Reformation and Counter Reformation
1529 and 1531: The Wars of Kappel in Switzerland
1618-1648: Thirty Years’ War
1656 and 1712: Wars of Villmergen in Switzerland
1798: French invasion of Switzerland, the "Helvetic Republic" is established
1815: The fall of Napoleon
1815-1830: The Ancien Regime is restored
1830-1848: Regeneration
1847: The Sonderbund War in Switzerland, the Progressive Protestants win
1848: The new Constitution. The modern State of Switzerland is officially born
1864: The Red Cross is founded by Henri Dunant
1866: Freedom of worship is extended to other religious communities in Switzerland
1874: The Swiss Constitution is revised. Emphasis is placed on modernisation and secularisation
1894: Catholics participate in politics at the federal level by creating the Catholic People’s Party
1914-1918: First World War
1939-1945: Second World War
1965: Vatican II
8 October 2012
