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.

In November 1847, the Sonderbund War broke out: Catholics against Liberals. The troops of the Diet (Tagsatzung) under General Guillaume-Henri Dufour won after about three weeks. Dufour wanted as few victims as possible. Fewer than a hundred people died. It was the last war on Swiss soil. Afterwards, the winners were able to build a new, common state.

On 12 September 1848, the new Federal Constitution came into force. Switzerland became a federalist federal state. Federalist means: the cantons keep a lot of their own power, but there is a common Confederation. New were the Federal Council and the Parliament with the National Council and the Council of States. The Confederation was now responsible for money. In 1850 the franc came as the common currency. That is why 1848 is seen as the founding of modern Switzerland.

Memory aid: 1847 war, 1848 constitution: the federal state grows out of the conflict.