Simón Bolívar, known as “The Liberator”, led several independent movements in South America, collectively referred to as the “Bolívar War”. He liberated several countries but also acted like a dictator, attempting to unite all of Latin America into a single country called Gran Colombia. Bolívar died of tuberculosis during an ocean voyage in 1830, leaving no direct descendants. He is honored with statues and monuments throughout the Americas and has two countries named after him: Bolivia and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Simón Bolívar, born Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios on July 24, 1783, came from a wealthy Venezuelan family and became known as “The Liberator”. He has led several independent movements in South America. Together, these movements are referred to as the “Bolívar War”.
Simón Bolívar left Venezuela to study in Europe, where he married María Teresa Rodríguez del Toro y Alaysa, daughter of a prominent Spaniard. His wife died within the first year of their marriage and he never remarried. Bolívar began to imagine what South America would have been like if he had been free from Spanish colonialism when he was a young man.
Upon returning to Venezuela in 1807, Simón Bolívar found that Spain had become weak from all of Napoleon’s invasions. Beginning in 1808 he began to lead independence movements, or resistance juntas, in Latin America. In 1813, his forces had their first success, capturing Caracas and declaring Venezuela free from Spanish rule.
Simón Bolívar went on to help liberate Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Colombia and Boliva, which was named after him. However, he also started declaring himself president of all the countries he liberated. Though he claimed to be the president, he often acted like a dictator.
Wanting to unite all of Latin America into a single country called Gran Colombia, Simón Bolívar met resistance from internal factions. Undeterred, Bolívar wrote a constitution for the fledgling country of Gran Colombia that made him a lifelong leader, able to appoint a successor of his choice. He quickly became unpopular and resigned as president in protest in 1830.
Simón Bolívar intended to return to Europe and sent his things ahead of him. However, he died of tuberculosis during the ocean voyage on December 17, 1830. Bolívar never had children, and therefore had no direct descendants.
Statues and monuments honoring Simón Bolívar appear throughout the Americas, and there is even a street in Ankara, Turkey named after him. Additionally, two different South American countries are named after Simón Bolívar: Bolivia and Venezuela. Bolivia obviously comes from “Bolívar” and Venezuela is officially called the “Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”.
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