Switzerland

Abstract

On August 1, 1291, the men of Uri, Schwyz, and Lower Unter-walden, entered into a defensive League. In 1353 the League included eight cantons, and in 1513, thirteen. Various associated and protected territories were acquired, but no addition was made to the number of cantons forming the League till 1798. In that year, under the influence of .France, the Helvetic Republic was formed, with a regular constitution. This failed to satisfy the cantons, and in 1803 Napoleon, in the Act of Mediation, gave a new constitution and increased the number of cantons to nineteen. In 1815, the perpetual neutrality of Switzerland and the inviolability of her territory were guaranteed by Austria, Great Britain, Portugal, Prussia, and Russia, and the Federal Pact which had been drawn up at Zurich, and which included three new cantons, was accepted by the Congress of Vienna. The Pact remained in force till 1848, when a new constitution, prepared wi the ut foreign interference, was accepted by general consent. This, in turn, was, on May 29, 1871, superseded by the constitution which is now in force.