Scribd
Upload
23 views1 page

Bolivar Simon

Simón Bolívar, born in Caracas in 1783, was a key military and political leader in the independence movements of several South American countries from Spanish rule. His significant victories, including the Battle of Boyacá and the liberation of Ecuador and Peru, led to the establishment of Gran Colombia, although this union was short-lived due to internal conflicts. Bolívar's legacy as 'El Libertador' endures, and he is celebrated as a national hero across the nations he helped liberate.

Uploaded by

josecuentanohay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
23 views1 page

Bolivar Simon

Simón Bolívar, born in Caracas in 1783, was a key military and political leader in the independence movements of several South American countries from Spanish rule. His significant victories, including the Battle of Boyacá and the liberation of Ecuador and Peru, led to the establishment of Gran Colombia, although this union was short-lived due to internal conflicts. Bolívar's legacy as 'El Libertador' endures, and he is celebrated as a national hero across the nations he helped liberate.

Uploaded by

josecuentanohay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Simón Bolívar: The Liberator

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 24, 1783, Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan
military and political leader who was instrumental in the establishment of
Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama as sovereign states,
independent of Spanish rule. His full name was Simón José Antonio de la Santísima
Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Blanco. Raised in a wealthy, aristocratic
family, he was orphaned at a young age and educated by a series of tutors, most
notably the philosopher Simón Rodríguez, who instilled in him the ideals of the
Enlightenment and the revolutionary spirit of Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

After traveling to Europe, Bolívar witnessed the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte,


which deeply influenced his own political ambitions. He also made a symbolic oath
on Monte Sacro in Rome in 1805, vowing to not rest until South America was free
from Spanish colonial control.

Bolívar's military career began in 1810 when he joined the independence movement in
Venezuela. Following several defeats and exiles, he launched the "Admirable
Campaign" in 1813, which led to the temporary liberation of Caracas and earned him
the title of "El Libertador" (The Liberator). However, the Spanish re-established
control, forcing Bolívar into exile again. He continued his fight, seeking support
from Haiti, and returned to the mainland with a new strategy to liberate the
continent.

His most decisive military victory came in 1819, when he led his army through the
treacherous Andes Mountains to surprise and defeat the Spanish at the Battle of
Boyacá, securing the independence of Colombia. This victory was a turning point,
allowing him to establish the republic of Gran Colombia (present-day Colombia,
Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama) in 1821.

Bolívar then moved on to liberate other regions. He played a key role in the
liberation of Ecuador at the Battle of Pichincha in 1822 and, with his chief
lieutenant Antonio José de Sucre, led the final military campaigns that ended
Spanish rule in Peru and Upper Peru (which was later named Bolivia in his honor) at
the Battle of Ayacucho in 1824.

Despite his military successes, Bolívar's political vision of a unified South


America was short-lived. Internal rivalries, political instability, and regional
differences led to the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1831. Disillusioned and in
poor health, he died on December 17, 1830, in Santa Marta, Colombia, at the age of
47. Although his dream of a single, great American nation did not materialize, his
legacy as the most important figure in the independence of South America is
undeniable. He is revered as a national hero in all the countries he helped to
liberate.

You might also like