The Alpine Valley has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The earliest historical evidence in the Alps shows Neanderthal habitation. Since then, the Alps have played a critical role in the boundaries between many different cultures. The Alpine passes have also had a great significance in many military battles.

There are three district regions of the Alps: Western, Central, and Eastern. Each one has had its own history of control struggles. The French fought for the Western Alps all the way from the the mid 1300s to the mid 1800s when France won the counties of Nice and Savoy, becoming the ruler of the entire Western side.You can find a quick rundown here The most formative event for the Central Alps was the formation of the Swiss Confederacy, which took place from 1291 to 1516. It involved the mountain cantons and the Grisons and Valais independent confederations. The Eastern Alps have had regular turnover of control since the 1300s up through post World War I.

The Alps remain an important boundary between French, German, Italian, and South Slavic linguistic borders. The region preserves archaic dialects including Walser German or Romance Lombardic and Romaish. Because of the complicated history of the region, the current international borders do not always match the languages and attitudes of the Alpine residents.