Forest Cantons

E696924

Forest Cantons refers to the group of original rural Swiss cantons, largely covered by forests, that played a key role in the early formation of the Swiss Confederation.

All labels observed (3)

Label Occurrences
Forest Cantons canonical 4
Three Forest Cantons 2
Forest cantons 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf historical political entity grouping
regional grouping of Swiss cantons
alternateName Waldstätte
associatedWithEvent Battle of Morgarten
Federal Charter of 1291
early Habsburg–Swiss conflicts
borderedBy Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee)
linked to: Vierwaldstättersee
characteristic largely forested
mountainous terrain
predominantly rural
country Old Swiss Confederacy
culturalRegion German-speaking Switzerland
economicBase alpine agriculture and pastoralism (historically)
etymology name refers to heavily forested landscape of the member cantons
formedBy alliance of rural communities
foundingDocument Federal Charter of 1291
governmentType rural landsgemeinde democracy (historically)
hasPart Nidwalden
linked to: canton of Nidwalden

Obwalden
Schwyz
Unterwalden
Uri
historicalAllegiance resisted Habsburg rule
historicalRole core of the early Swiss Confederation
founding members of the Swiss Confederation
influenced Swiss tradition of local self-government
development of Swiss federalism
language German
legalTradition customary rural law and communal charters
locatedIn Alps
Central Switzerland
Switzerland
member Nidwalden
linked to: canton of Nidwalden

Obwalden
Schwyz
Unterwalden
Uri
militaryRole provided infantry for early Swiss military victories
partOf Old Swiss Confederacy
politicalAlignment traditionally conservative in Swiss politics
politicalStatus founding cantons of the Swiss Confederation
regionType Waldstätte
religion historically predominantly Roman Catholic
significance symbol of Swiss independence origins
timePeriod High Middle Ages
Late Middle Ages
transportRole controlled important Alpine passes

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

canton of Nidwalden historicalRegion Forest Cantons
Uri historicalRegion Forest Cantons
Unterwalden partOf Forest cantons
linked to: Forest Cantons
City of Uri partOf Forest Cantons
City of Unterwalden historicalRegion Forest Cantons
Rütli meadow associatedWithGroup Three Forest Cantons
linked to: Forest Cantons
Rütli Oath relatedTo Three Forest Cantons
linked to: Forest Cantons