Until the end of the 18th century the area which is now Switzerland was a patchwork of different entities.

The core was formed by the original cantons which expanded from three to 13 between 1291 and 1513. These made up the Confederation.

Other areas were independent but allied to the Confederation, while others were more loosely connected with it as "associated places."

Others again had been conquered by members of the Confederation, and were ruled by them as subject territories. Some were ruled by a single canton, others were ruled by a group of cantons, or by the Confederation as a whole.

Most of the territories which fell into these three categories are part of modern-day Switzerland. A few, however, opted to become part of other countries.

There was nothing inevitable about the shape of modern Switzerland.