The Catholic-conservative farmers of Central Switzerland brought the progressive efforts of the Helvetic Republic to a halt with their armed resistance. This is at least the long-held historiographical narrative, which has served as a pattern of distinction and identification for both the conservative and liberal movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, albeit with different interpretations. But who or what was the "Helvetic Republic" in its concrete practice in the village? What ideas and emotions guided and motivated the people who participated in armed resistance actions? Answers to these questions are provided by a study that applies a microhistorical approach for the first time to the region of Central Switzerland. It draws on interrogation protocols, reports from the administration, as well as tax lists, debt records, and other sources.