Question: In about 260 AD, what forced the people of Roman towns to find shelter in Roman fortresses?
Answer: raids by the Alamanni tribes

Question: What was the name of the concept used by the Roman Empire when building another line of defense at the north border?
Answer: the linear defence concept

Question: What increased pressure forced the Romans to abandon their line of defense concept at the end of the 4th century?
Answer: Germanic

Question: Who was allowed to settle on the Swiss plateau by the end of the 4th century?
Answer: German tribes

Question: From the end of the 4th century, what territory was the western extent of modern-day Switzerland part of?
Answer: the Kings of the Burgundians

Question: Where did the Alemanni settle in the 5th century?
Answer: the Swiss plateau

Question: Where did the Alemanni settle in the 8th century, forming Alemannia?
Answer: valleys of the Alps

Question: In the 8th century, what two kingdoms made up Modern-day Switzerland?
Answer: Alemannia and Burgundy

Question: What Empire did the entire region of Modern-day Switzerland become part of in the 6th century?
Answer: Frankish Empire

Question: In 1200, what area did the houses of Savoy, Zahringer, Habsburg, and Kyburg comprise?
Answer: the Swiss plateau

Question: In 1264 AD, what caused the Kyburg dynasty to fall?
Answer: extinction of its male line in 1263

Question: Who claimed the Kyburg lands after their fall in 1264 AD?
Answer: the Habsburgs

Question: Which Holy Roman Emperor were the Habsburgs under in 1273 AD?
Answer: King Rudolph I

Question: What did the three regions of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden become known as?
Answer: Waldstätten

Question: In what year did the three original  cantons join with five other cantons to form the "Old Confederacy" of eight states?
Answer: By 1353

Question: Which century did the Old Confederacy of the eight states exist until?
Answer: end of the 15th century

Question: What effect did the expansion of the three cantons into eight have on the status of the federation?
Answer: increased power and wealth

Question: By 1460, who controlled most of the territory south and west of the Rhine?
Answer: the confederates

Question: Which Swiss victory in 1499 amounted to de facto independence within the Holy Roman Empire?
Answer: Swabian War

Question: Which Battle was the first to interrupt the seeming invincibility of the Old Swiss Confederacy in 1515?
Answer: Battle of Marignano

Question: What inter-cantonal conflicts resulted in the Wars of Kappel?
Answer: religious

Question: In what year did European countries first recognize Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire?
Answer: 1648

Question: In what two years were the Wars of Kappel?
Answer: 1529 and 1531

Question: Under the Peace of Westphalia, who finally recognized Switzerland's neutrality?
Answer: European countries

Question: Who conquered Switzerland in 1798?
Answer: the revolutionary French government

Question: What did the French government impose on Switzerland in 1798, centralizing the Swiss government?
Answer: a new unified constitution

Question: What was abolished with the introduction of the unified constitution in Switzerland?
Answer: the cantons

Question: What was the name of the new regime created when the Cisalpine Republic separated from Switzerland?
Answer: Helvetic Republic

Question: Which unpopular republic destroyed centuries of Swiss traditions?
Answer: Helvetic

Question: Who refused to fight alongside the Helvetic Republic when it was invaded by the Russians and Austrians?
Answer: The Swiss

Question: During the Helvetic Republic, which forces invaded Switzerland when war broke out between France and its rivals?
Answer: Russian and Austrian

Question: What Act was the result of a meeting of Swiss politicians organized by Napolean?
Answer: Act of Mediation

Question: What was the Act of Mediation responsible for restoring?
Answer: Swiss autonomy

Question: How many cantons were introduced as a Confederation by the Act of Mediation?
Answer: 19

Question: What did Catholic cantons attempt to set up which caused a civil war in 1839?
Answer: a separate alliance (the Sonderbund)

Question: What was the name of the Swiss civil war in 1839?
Answer: the Sonderbundskrieg

Question: How big was the impact the Sonderbundskrieg had on the psychology and society of the Swiss and Switzerland?
Answer: major

Question: What was responsible for most of the 1100 casualties incurred during the Swiss civil war in 1839?
Answer: friendly fire

Question: How long did the Swiss civil war in 1839 last?
Answer: less than a month

Question: What example inspired much of a new Swiss constitution providing for a federal layout?
Answer: American

Question: Under the new Swiss constitution, what did the cantons have the right to self-govern?
Answer: local issues

Question: How many houses was the Swiss national assembly divided into?
Answer: two

Question: What was the name of the upper house, which included 2 representatives from each canton?
Answer: Council of States

Question: What was the name of the lower house, whose representatives were elected throughout the country?
Answer: National Council

Question: Though invasion plans were drawn up the the Germans, which war did Switzerland escape attack during?
Answer: World War II

Question: Who was the head of the Swiss central command during World War II?
Answer: General Henri Guisan

Question: What did General Henry Guisan order a general mobilisation of during World War II?
Answer: armed forces

Question: What was the original goal of the Swiss military strategy?
Answer: protect the economic heartland

Question: What were the Reduit?
Answer: strong, well-stockpiled positions high in the Alps

Question: Who blockaded Switzerland's trade during World War II?
Answer: by both the Allies and by the Axis

Question: What was severed in 1942, leaving Switzerland completely surrounded by the Axis?
Answer: a crucial rail link through Vichy France

Question: How many refugees did Switzerland intern during World War II?
Answer: over 300,000

Question: When did the financial relationship Switzerland had with Nazi Germany begin to raise controversy?
Answer: end of the 20th century

Question: Where was the International Red Cross based?
Answer: Geneva

Question: Who did Switzerland finally grant the right to vote to following the rest of the Western republic?
Answer: women

Question: When were Switzerland women granted the right to vote on a federal level?
Answer: 1971

Question: Who was the first woman to serve on the Federal Council?
Answer: Elisabeth Kopp

Question: In what year did Ruth Dreifuss become president?
Answer: 1999

Question: Who was Switzerland's first female president?
Answer: Ruth Dreifuss

Question: In what year did Switzerland become a full member of the United Nations?
Answer: 2002

Question: What did Swiss voters agree to join on June 5, 2005?
Answer: Schengen treaty

Question: What percentage of Swiss voters voted to join the Schengen treaty?
Answer: 55%

Question: Though Switzerland is a founding member of the EFTA, what are they not a member of?
Answer: European Economic Area

Question: What has completely surrounded Switzerland and Liechtenstein since 1995?
Answer: the EU

Question: How large is Switzerland?
Answer: 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi)

Question: What is the average population density of Switzerland?
Answer: 195 people per square kilometre (500/sq mi)

Question: What is the population density of the largest Canton of Graubunden, located in the Alps?
Answer: 27 /km² (70 /sq mi)

Question: Which half of Switzerland is more mountainous?
Answer: southern

Question: Which mountain range does Switzerland extend over on both the north and south sides?
Answer: Alps

Question: Which basic topographical area is in the south of Switzerland?
Answer: Swiss Alps

Question: Which basic topographical area is in central Switzerland?
Answer: Swiss Plateau