Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios is one of the
greatest men in South American history.
He has a long name, but someone as great as he is deserves such a
name. He is the father of many South
American nations, including Bolivia, which was named in his honor in 1825. George Washington gave birth to a nation; Simón Bolívar gave birth to a continent.
When Napoleon
conquered Spain in 1808, naming his brother the new King of Spain, the American
colonies rebelled. France did not have
the resources to fight a multi-front battle across the Americas. That created a climate of independence in the
hearts of Latin America.
Bolívar began the rebellion in
Venezuela, his homeland. By 1813, he had
wrested control of Venezuela from the Spanish, but civil war erupted even as he
was El Libertador (the Liberator). He
was forced to flee to Jamaica, where he devised a plan for a united South
America, with a British style parliamentary system.
He quickly
returned to South America, fighting in numerous battles. In 1821, he was able to create the Republic
of Gran Colombia, which included Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and Ecuador. In 1824, he was declared dictator of Peru and
a year later Bolivia was created and named in his honor. These two countries became the Confederation
of the Andes.
Bolívar had a dream of not only a
united South America, but a land where all peoples were free. This included freeing of the slaves of
African origin in the Caribbean areas of Venezuela and Colombia. He also wanted the peoples of indigenous origin
to be free as well. Bolivia, Peru, and
Ecuador include the majority of their populations of indigenous origin,
especially the Quechua, whose numbers are in the millions today.
By the late
1820s it was obvious that his dream of a united South America would not be
fulfilled. His empire was collapsing
around him and quickly broke into the nations of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador,
Peru, and Bolivia. The United States
helped Panama gain independence 70 years later.
In 1830, he stepped down as the President of Gran Colombia, dying later
that year.
He is still
remembered as El Libertador across South America. Every city in Bolivia has a statue of
him. Every city has a street named after
him. He is not forgotten.
I am learning a lot more about the independence of Bolivia. More should be coming over the next days and weeks.
I am learning a lot more about the independence of Bolivia. More should be coming over the next days and weeks.
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