Editing Basel (section)

=== Modern history ===
In 1792, the [[Rauracian Republic|Republic of Rauracia]], a revolutionary [[French client republic]], was created. It lasted until 1793.<ref>Heinrich Zschokke, Emil Zschokke, ''The History of Switzerland, for the Swiss People'', S. Low, Son & Co. 1855, p.253</ref> After three years of political agitation and a short civil war in 1833 the disadvantaged countryside seceded from the Canton of Basel, forming the half canton of [[Basel-Landschaft]].<ref>Heinrich Türler, Marcel Godet, Victor Attinger, ''Historisch-biographisches Lexikon der Schweiz'', 1934, p.307</ref> Between 1861 and 1878 the city walls were [[Slighting|slighted]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Appenzeller |first=Stephan |title=Basel und sein Tram |publisher=Christoph Merian Verlag |year=1995 |isbn=3856160639 |location=Basel |pages=12 |language=de}}</ref>

On 3 July 1874, Switzerland's first zoo, the [[Zoo Basel]], opened its doors in the south of the city towards [[Binningen, Switzerland|Binningen]].
[[File:THEODOR HERZL ADDRESSING THE FIRST OR SECOND ZIONIST CONGRESS IN BASEL, SWITZERLAND IN 1897-8. תאודור הרצל נואם בקונגרס הציוני הראשון או השני בבזל - שנת 1897-1898.jpg|thumb|First [[World Zionist Congress]] in Basel, 1897 (Stadtcasino)]]
In 1897 the first [[World Zionist Congress]] was held in Basel. Altogether the World Zionist Congress was held in Basel ten times, more than in any other city in the world.<ref>{{cite web |author=Ina Rottscheidt |date=31 August 2015 |title=Erster Zionistenkongress 1897 – Die Idee eines Judenstaates |trans-title=First Zionist Congress 1897 – The Idea of a Jewish State |url=http://www.domradio.de/radio/sendungen/anno-domini/die-idee-eines-judenstaates-erster-zionistenkongress-1897 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923225551/http://www.domradio.de/radio/sendungen/anno-domini/die-idee-eines-judenstaates-erster-zionistenkongress-1897 |archive-date=23 September 2015 |access-date=6 September 2015 |publisher=domradio.de |language=de |location=Cologne, Germany}}</ref>

On 16 November 1938, the psychedelic drug [[LSD]] was first synthesized by Swiss chemist [[Albert Hofmann]] at [[Sandoz]] Laboratories in Basel.

In 1967, the population of [[1967 Basel Picasso paintings purchase referendum|Basel voted in favor of buying three works of art by painter Pablo Picasso]] which were at risk of being sold and taken out of the local museum of art, due to a financial crisis on the part of the owner's family. Therefore, Basel became the first city in the world where the population of a political community democratically decided to acquire works of art for a public institution. [[Pablo Picasso]] was so moved by the gesture that he subsequently gifted the city with an additional three paintings.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 March 2013 |title=Legendärer Volksentscheid – Das Picasso-Wunder von Basel – Kultur – SRF |trans-title=Legendary Referendum – The Picasso Miracle of Basel – Culture – SRF |url=https://www.srf.ch/kultur/kunst/legendaerer-volksentscheid-das-picasso-wunder-von-basel}}</ref>