History of Switzerland | How Old is Switzerland?

When Was Switzerland Formed?

The history of Switzerland is one that goes back thousands of years. The first people to live in the area have left some evidence that has been uncovered by archaeologists, but the first people to live there in civilized society were the Romans. The area was first inhabited by the Helvetii, but they came under the rule of the Romans in the first century BC. The people in modern-day Switzerland lived under Roman rule for several hundred years. Eventually, the Roman empire would collapse, and the people who lived in Switzerland would be annexed into the Frankish empire, which took over in the 6th century. Switzerland would later come under the control of the Holy Roman Empire, which is distinct from the ancient Roman empire.

When Did Switzerland Gain Its Independence?

While Switzerland was a part of the Holy Roman Empire for a time, the country established its independence from the House of Habsburg and the Duchy of Burgundy during the Italian wars. Switzerland was also controlled by the Duchy of Milan for a short time. The Swiss Reformation would take the confederacy and divide it up, establishing a map that is similar to that of today.

Switzerland would be conquered by the French in 1798, as part of the French Revolution. Switzerland also became a French client state under Napoleon, but once Napoleon was defeated, Switzerland would be given its independence again.

When Did Actual Switzerland Form?

Switzerland, as we know it today, came into existence in 1848. Once Napoleon fell, the country had a brief civil war that lasted from 1847 to 1848, as the country was trying to get its feet back under it after winning its independence. Initially, the country was mostly agricultural; however, Switzerland has undergone some significant transformation since that time. Switzerland is also known for its neutrality, and given its position in Europe, it is probably better for the rest of the continent. While Switzerland used to be a mostly agricultural economy, it has become one of the most stable banking countries in the world, which has positioned it as one of the wealthiest countries in Europe for a long time.

Is Switzerland a Part of the EU and UN?

Despite the rocky past, Switzerland is a country that is known for its neutrality. In addition to remaining neutral in both World Wars, the country is known to resist EU membership. It is almost entirely surrounded by EU members, but it has resisted calls to join the EU, even though it does significant business with the vast majority of countries in Europe. For a long time, Switzerland was so neutral that it even resisted calls to join the UN. While Switzerland did eventually cave and join the UN in 2002, the country still has not yet joined the EU. It remains to be seen if Switzerland will change its stance of neutrality moving forward, as it recently announced that it would support Ukraine against Russia.