Editing Nidwalden (section)

==History==
The earliest traces of human settlement date to the [[Neolithic]] with sites found near Stansstad that are from 4000 to 3100 BC.<ref name="History">{{Cite book | last = Ackermann | first = Hansjacob | last2 = Schleifer | first2 = Karin | last3 = Weber | first3 = Emil | title = Geschichte Nidwaldens: Ein kurzer Überblick | date = March 2007 | publisher = Staatsarchive Nidwalden | url = http://www.nw.ch/dl.php/de/20070326132244/Publikation+-+Geschichte+NW+%DCberblick_2008_02.pdf | access-date = 1 December 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100105070449/http://www.nw.ch/dl.php/de/20070326132244/Publikation+-+Geschichte+NW+%DCberblick_2008_02.pdf | archive-date = 5 January 2010 | url-status = dead }} {{in lang|de}}</ref> The same sites, near Stansstad, also contain [[Late Bronze Age]] (1400–1100 BC) artifacts, with additional Bronze Age sites near Hergiswil and Ennetmoos. A [[La Tène Culture|La Tène]] (500–100 BC) grave for a 10-year-old girl has been found in Stans. Based on these finds, it appears that the Nidwalden region has been settled since the 1st millennium BC.<ref name="History"/>

During the [[Roman Empire]] Ob and Nidwalden were inhabited by a [[Gallo-Roman culture|Gallo-Roman]] or [[Celtic Nations|Celtic]] population. While there are few artifacts from the population, many names of the towns, rivers and mountains have either Celtic or Gallo-Roman roots.<ref name="History"/> By the 8th century the [[Alemanni]] entered the valleys of present-day Nidwalden and intermingled. At this time a Roman Catholic church was built in Stans, most likely founded by an Alemanni noble family. The church in Stans would remain until the 10th century when it was replaced by a church in [[Buochs]].<ref name="History"/>

Initially the land was owned by a number of noble families and [[abbey]]s. But by the late 13th century the major powers in Nidwalden had shrunk to three: [[House of Habsburg|the Habsburgs]], [[Murbach Abbey]] and [[Engelberg Abbey]]. In 1291 [[Rudolph I of Germany|Rudolph of Habsburg]] bought [[Obwalden]] from Murbach Abbey. In response the people of Nidwalden ([[Obwalden]] joined shortly before the document was signed, the two-halves forming [[Unterwalden]])<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Switzerland/History/Origins |volume= 26 |short=x}}</ref> joined [[Canton of Uri|Uri]] and [[Canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]] to form an [[Eternal Alliance|alliance]] which is considered the foundation of the [[Old Swiss Confederacy]].

At the time there was no state, but towards the end of the 14th century early forms of government were established. This included institutionalized assemblies and courts. In the 14th and 15th century the people of Nidwalden joined the people of Obwalden to discuss important matters, but the two cantons were never really one. For example, Obwalden did not participate in the annexation of [[Bellinzona]], [[Riviera, Ticino|Riviera]] and [[Blenio]] areas (today located in the canton of [[Ticino]]).{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

Under the [[Helvetic Republic]] imposed in 1798 by [[French Revolution]]ary troops, Switzerland became a united country. The ideas of the French Revolution were not popular in some parts of the Swiss nation including Nidwalden. The cantons were accustomed to self-government and many resented the limits on the freedom of worship in particular. When rebel forces threatened the Republic, Nidwalden was attacked by French troops on 9 September 1798. The canton's infrastructure was badly damaged and at least 400 people were killed.

After the end of [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleonic]] rule in 1814, most of the changes were reverted. Only in 1877 did Nidwalden introduce a new constitution. The open assembly (''[[Landsgemeinde]]'') was abolished in 1997.