Editing Switzerland (section)

=== Federal state ===
{{Main|Restoration and Regeneration (Switzerland)|Switzerland as a federal state}}
[[File:Bern, Federal Palace, 1857.jpg|thumb|The first [[Federal Palace]] in Bern (1857). One of the three cantons presiding over the [[Tagsatzung]] (former legislative and executive council), Bern was chosen as the permanent seat of federal legislative and executive institutions in 1848, in part because of its closeness to the French-speaking area.<ref name="Bundesstadt" />]]

The restoration of power to the patriciate was only temporary. After a period of unrest with repeated violent clashes, such as the [[Züriputsch]] of 1839, civil war (the ''[[Sonderbundskrieg]]'') broke out in 1847 when some Catholic cantons tried to set up a separate alliance (the ''Sonderbund'').<ref name="Brief" /> The war lasted less than a month, causing fewer than 100 casualties, most of which were through [[friendly fire]]. The Sonderbundskrieg had a significant impact on the psychology and society of Switzerland.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}{{who|date=September 2022}}

The war convinced most Swiss of the need for unity and strength. Swiss from all strata of society, whether Catholic or Protestant, from the liberal or conservative current, realised that the cantons would profit more from merging their economic and religious interests.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

Thus, while the rest of Europe saw [[revolutions of 1848|revolutionary uprisings]], the Swiss drew up a constitution that provided for a [[Swiss Federal Constitution|federal layout]], much of it inspired by the [[United States Constitution|American example]]. This constitution provided central authority while leaving the cantons the right to self-government on local issues. Giving credit to those who favoured the power of the cantons (the Sonderbund Kantone), the national assembly was divided between an [[upper house]] (the [[Swiss Council of States|Council of States]], two representatives per canton) and a [[lower house]] (the [[National Council of Switzerland|National Council]], with representatives elected from across the country). [[Referendum]]s were made mandatory for any amendments.<ref name="Nationsonline" /> This new constitution ended the legal power of [[Swiss nobility#Current situation|nobility in Switzerland]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Noblesse en Suisse |url=http://www.diesbach.com/sghcf/n/noblesse.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192147/http://www.diesbach.com/sghcf/n/noblesse.html |archive-date=3 March 2016 |access-date=22 October 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Gotthard Eröffnungszug Bellinzona.jpg|thumb|left|Inauguration in 1882 of the [[Gotthard rail tunnel]] connecting the southern canton of Ticino, the longest in the world at the time]]
A single system of weights and measures was introduced, and in 1850 the [[Swiss franc]] became the Swiss [[single currency]], complemented by the WIR franc in 1934.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The WIR, the supplementary Swiss currency since 1934 |url=https://www.theeconomyjournal.eu/texto-diario/mostrar/758830/wir-moneda-complementaria-suiza-activo-desde-1934 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612070424/https://www.theeconomyjournal.eu/texto-diario/mostrar/758830/wir-moneda-complementaria-suiza-activo-desde-1934 |archive-date=12 June 2021 |access-date=12 June 2021 |website=The Economy Journal |language=en}}</ref> Article 11 of the constitution forbade sending troops to serve abroad, marking the end of foreign service. It came with the expectation of serving the [[Holy See]], and the Swiss were still obliged to serve [[Francis II of the Two Sicilies]] with Swiss Guards present at the [[Siege of Gaeta (1860)|siege of Gaeta in 1860]].{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

An important clause of the constitution was that it could be entirely rewritten, if necessary, thus enabling it to evolve as a whole rather than being modified one amendment at a time.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ducrest |first1=Jean Pierre |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/702317703 |title=Histoire de la Suisse |last2=Dorand |first2=Michel |publisher=Editions Fragnière |year=1987 |oclc=702317703}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2023}}

This need soon proved itself when the rise in population and the [[Industrial Revolution]] that followed led to calls to modify the constitution accordingly. The population rejected an early draft in 1872, but modifications led to its acceptance in 1874.<ref name="Brief" /> It introduced the [[Referendum#Switzerland|facultative referendum]] for laws at the federal level. It also established federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters.

In 1891, the constitution was revised with uncommonly strong elements of [[direct democracy]], which remain unique today.<ref name="Brief" />