Simon Bolivar - Hero of South American Independence

Identified as El Libertador (The Liberator) and the "George Washington of South America", Simon Bolivar was a wonderful basic and statesman in South America.

He led revolutions against Spanish rule in the Viceroyalty of New Granada (an location that incorporated present-day Colombia, Panama, Ecuador and Venezuela).

To do this, he won military victories against Spanish forces in Bolivia, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Those victories led to the finish of Spanish colonialism and the starting of national independence in each and every of these nations.

Born into an aristocratic loved ones in 1783, he was inspired by Enlightenment thinkers which includes Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau and vowed to liberate his nation, Venezuela.

He captured Venezuela but his victory was only quick-lived as the Spanish counter-attacked and captured handle of the nation, forcing Bolivar to flee.

Even though in exile, Bolivar wrote La Carta de Jamaica ("The Letter from Jamaica") in which he outlined his vision for South America: constitutional republics with upper and reduced homes (modeled on the government of the United Kingdom) and, ominously, a president selected for life.

Soon after returning to Venezuela, he engaged the Spanish forces in the Battle of Boyaca (1819) and the Battle of Carabobo (1821), culminating in a final victory for Bolivar and the revolutionary patriots over the Spanish.

At the finish of 1822, Ecuador was liberated by Bolivar's forces and this was followed in 1824 by the liberation of Peru.

Bolivar was now president of Gran Colombia (an location that comprised present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama) -- a nation currently Identified by the United States -- and dictator of Peru.

In 1825, Bolivar's forces, beneath Antonio Jose de Sucre, liberated Upper Peru. This nation was renamed Bolivia, in honor of Simon Bolivar.

Bolivar had hoped to kind a union of the new South American countries, from Chile and Argentina to Mexico; but in truth nationalist sentiments speedily came to prevail over pan-continental ideals and, by the year 1830, Gran Colombia had split into 3 diverse nations -- Colombia (which includes Panama), Venezuela, and Ecuador.

At the finish of his life Bolivar knowledgeable terrific opposition and was practically assassinated. He died on December 17, 1830.

In spite of his weaknesses, getting a conservative who was not adverse to dictatorship, Simon Bolivar's presence is nevertheless felt everywhere in Latin America -- with streets, areas, monuments, statues, banknotes, coins, stamps, and even a nation bearing his name. He is remembered all through the continent to this day as the hero who brought national independence.

For intriguing Simon Bolivar images, plus additional intriguing info on Bolivar's profession and achievements, click here: http://www.1902encyclopedia.com/B/BOL/simon-bolivar.html

David Paul Wagner writes on history, news and politics.