This is atimeline ofSwiss history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Switzerland and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, seeHistory of Switzerland.
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1291 | August | The threeWaldstätte ofUri,Schwyz andUnterwalden signed theFederal Charter of 1291 establishing the Old Swiss Confederacy, a confederation for mutual defense and the adjudication of disputes. |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1307 | 8 November | The leaders ofUri,Schwyz andUnterwalden swore theRütlischwur, an oath of unity and common defense, on theRütli aboveLake Lucerne.[1] |
| 1315 | 15 November | Battle of Morgarten. Swiss infantry ambushed and destroyed much of aHabsburg heavy cavalry army nearLake Ägeri.[2] |
| 1315 | 9 December | Following the victory at Morgarten, Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden sign a second Federal Charter strengthening the Confederacy. |
| 1332 | Lucerne signs a mutual protection treaty with the three Confederates.[3] | |
| 1367 | 29 January | Creation of theLeague of God's House in theCanton of Graubünden to resist theBishopric of Chur and the Habsburgs.[4] |
| 1386 | 9 July | Battle of Sempach. Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden and Zürich decisively defeat a Habsburg army. The victory begins to change the Confederation from a loose pact into a unified entity and allows expansion into former Habsburg lands.[5] |
| 1395 | 14 February | Creation of theGrey League in Graubünden as the abbot ofDisentis Abbey, the Baron ofRhäzüns and the Baron of Sax-Misox sign an eternal alliance.[6] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1436 | 30 April | Death of Friedrich VII ofToggenburg, without an heir. Competing land claims in eastern Switzerland and western Austria led to theOld Zurich War.[7] |
| 1436 | 8 June | Creation of theLeague of the Ten Jurisdictions in Graubünden after the extinction of theCounts of Toggenburg.[8] |
| 1440-1450 | Old Zurich War between Zurich and the Habsburgs against the remainder of the Confederation over the Toggenburg lands. At the end of the war, Zurich had to dissolve its alliance with the Habsburgs and rejoin the Confederation.[7] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1524 | 23 September | The Free State of theThree Leagues is formed from the League of God's House, the Grey League and the League of the Ten Jurisdictions |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1648 | October | The Peace of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War and contains a special provision on Switzerland, endorsing the process begun in 1499. With this treaty, European powers recognise the Swiss Confederation as an independent state. |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1798 | 28 January | TheFrench Invasion of Switzerland begins, ending in late May. |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1843 | June | The firstSchweizerisches Gesangsfest, a singing festival, was held inZürich. |
| 1847 | 3 November | Sonderbund War: In the midst of a political crisis, troops fromUri, a member of theSonderbund, a separate alliance ofCatholiccantons of Switzerland, seized theGotthard Pass between the northern and southern halves of the country. |
| 1848 | 12 September | A newconstitution was issued establishing Switzerland as afederal state with a bicameralFederal Assembly. |
| 1874 | 19 April | Theconstitution was revised to establish free public education and theoptional referendum, and to make it easier for Swiss citizens to move betweencantons.[9] |
| 1877 | 19 June | TheAare flooded, causing significant damage.[9] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1918 | 30 September | Bankers inZürich walked out in their first ever strike amidst growing unrest over the rising cost of living. A local general strike then broke out in support of their demand a pay rise and was successful. |
| 1920 | 10 January | TheLeague of Nations, anintergovernmental organization established for the purposes ofcollective security and international arbitration, came into existence, with Switzerland among its founding members.[10] |
| 1934 | Creates numbered bank accounts, giving account holder anonymity.[11] | |
| 1958 | 12 July | The Swiss government announced its intention to develop and build a nuclear arsenal. |
| 1963 | 6 May | Switzerland joined theCouncil of Europe, a body dedicated to the promotion of good governance and human rights inEurope. |
| 1971 | 7 February | A referendum granting women the right to vote in federal elections was approved with sixty-six percent of the vote. |
| 1978 | 24 September | A referendum approved the secession of theFrench-speakingcanton ofJura from the mostlyGerman-speaking canton ofBern.[12] |
| Year | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 10 September | Switzerland joined theUnited Nations, anintergovernmental organization devoted to the preservation of world peace and economic development. |
1934 – The Banking Secrecy Act of 1934