In many sources, the term confederation is used when referring to the early Swiss alliance. In this unit, however, Confederation is reserved for the federal republic that was formed in 1848, with its new level of federal powers. The Switzerland Data Page and, especially, the Switzerland Map Page contain valuable supplementary information for topics addressed on the Student Text Pages. As you introduce this unit to students, ask them to speculate on the meaning of the unit title. Switzerland does not have enough workers to fill all the jobs its economy creates.
Most teenagers know about Swiss cheese and chocolates.
You might want them to research the actual break-out of leading Swiss exports. Democracy and its evolution among the Swiss is a key theme on this page, which looks only at the canton and federal levels of government. But Switzerland has 3,000 communes, too. And that's where many democratic choices first occur. There's quite a contrast here, in power symbolism, to the federal government, where executive power is vested in a seven- member Federal Council chosen by Switzerland's bicameral legislature.