Question 228 of 350 · Federal state and industrialisation
Who fought against each other in the Sonderbund War of 1847?
Wer kämpfte im Sonderbundskrieg 1847 gegeneinander?
Correct answer: C
Why
The Catholic conservative cantons of the Sonderbund fought against the liberal majority of the cantons. The Liberals won after about three weeks.
Common mistakes
- B: Zurich and Bern
- Zurich and Bern were both liberal and fought on the same side.
- A: Nobility and peasants
- A fight between nobility and peasants fits the Middle Ages, not the Sonderbund War.
Topic
Sonderbund War and the federal state of 1848
At the beginning of the 19th century, Switzerland was a loose alliance of cantons. There was a dispute between two groups. The Liberals, mainly in Reformed cantons, wanted a stronger common state. The Catholic-conservative cantons wanted to keep their independence. In 1845 they formed their own alliance: the Sonderbund (separate alliance). It included seven cantons, for example Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz and Fribourg.
History of Switzerland · Federal state and industrialisation
Sources
Official question of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.