Who were the settlers and explorers of Switzerland come from?

The first settlers of Switzerland were the Helvetii, a Celtic tribe who originated in Gaul. They settled in the area around the bend of the Rhine River in the 5th century BC and established the town of Aventicum (modern-day Avenches). The Helvetii were later conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC and assimilated into Roman culture. The Helvetii continued to live in the region during the Roman Empire, and they were eventually granted Roman citizenship.

In the 4th and 5th centuries AD, the Roman Empire was weakened by invasions from Germanic tribes, and Switzerland was eventually overrun by the Alemanni and the Burgundians. These Germanic tribes settled in the region and intermingled with the remaining Romanized Celts. The resulting population became known as the Swiss.

In the 13th century, Switzerland became a confederation of three cantons (Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden). The confederacy grew over time to include other cantons and eventually became the modern country of Switzerland.