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Switzerland from the very beginning
Swiss history begins from the 12th millenium B.C. In ancient times Switzerland was inhabited by Celtic tribes of Helvetians, so its first name was Helvetia. Something about the 1st century B.C. and after Julius Caesars campaigns the country was conquered by Romans and became famous all over the World. In the 5th century A.D. it was conquered by Alemanians, Burgundians, in the 6th century by Franks. In the 11th century Switzerland went down in Roman Empire as German Nation. In the beginning Swiss didnt make unique nation, and Switzerland itself represented a union of Cantons, longing for autonomy. In the beginning of August of 1291 peasants of forest cantons of Schwitz, Uri and Unterwalden, living on the banks of the lake Virwaldstadt entered into an alliance and swore to help each other in their struggle against Habsburg Dynasty governing. Thus in stubborn struggle they asserted their independence. This date is still being celebrated in Switzerland on August, 1. During two centuries Swiss troops won victory over feudal armies, dukes, kings and kaisers. Provinces and towns began joining the union, and the struggle against Habsburgs continued. In the year 1499 after celebrating victory over kaiser Maximillian I Habsburg Switzerland set free from the Empire. In 1513 there were already 13 Cantons in the union. Every single canton was absolutely independent and had its own army, constitution, capital and government. In the 16th century a hard crisis set in Switzerland. The reason for the crisis was the Split of the Christian Church. Geneva and Zurich made centers of activities of protestant reformers Calvin and Zwingli. In 1529 religious war broke out. In 1798 after the invasion of the French Switzerland made Helvetic Republic for fifteen years. In 1815 the Swiss put in force their own Constitution with equal rights for 22 independent Cantons. In the same year Viennese Congress accepted constant neutrality of Switzerland and settled its borders and frontiers, which remain stable till now. Due to the Constitution of 1948 this union turned to Federative Switzerland. Switzerland today unites 26 Cantons with different historical past and the population belongs to different ethnical communities and speaks various languages. Each Canton has its own government, laws and Court. 
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