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General Knowledge :: HISTORICAL EVENTS BY COUNTRY :: SWITZERLAND

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Switzerland

Switzerland: Historical Dates

58 BC	Julius Caesar led the Roman conquest of Helvetia.
AD 400s-500s	The Franks defeated other Germanic tribes in Switzerland, and much of the country became part of the Frankish kingdom.
1291	The cantons of Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden signed the Perpetual Covenant to defend against foreign domination. The agreement marked the beginning of the Swiss Confederation.
1515	Switzerland adopted its policy of neutrality after France halted Swiss expansion in Italy.
1522-1564	John Calvin and Huldreich Zwingli spread the Reformation from their respective centers in Geneva and Zürich.
1648	The Holy Roman Empire recognized Swiss independence under the Peace of Westphalia.
1798	French troops occupied Switzerland and established the Helvetic Republic.
1815	The Congress of Vienna restored the confederation and expanded Switzerland's territory. Swiss neutrality was formally recognized.
1848	Switzerland established federal control over the confederation. The federal government gained more authority under the Constitution of 1874.
1863	The International Red Cross was founded in Geneva.
1920	The League of Nations was established in Geneva.
1939-1945	Switzerland remained neutral during World War II. The country became a haven for refugees fleeing from Nazi persecution.
1959	Switzerland was a founding member of the European Free Trade Association.
1963	Switzerland joined the Council of Europe, but continued to resist joining international organizations that might violate its policy of neutrality.
1981	Switzerland amended its constitution to guarantee equal rights for women.
1992	Swiss voters rejected their government's attempts at further economic integration with the other European countries, voting against joining the European Economic Area free-trade zone.