Simón Bolivar Facts & Worksheets

Let’s find out more about Simón Bolivar!

Simón Bolivar was the most prominent leader of Latin America's freedom from Spain. In addition to driving the Spanish out of northern South America, this skilled general and charming politician played a key role in the early development of the republics that emerged after the Spanish left. His great vision of a unified South America fell apart in his later years. As the person who freed his homeland from Spanish domination, he is known as "The Liberator."

EARLY AND PERSONAL LIFE

• Bolivar was born on 24 July 1783 to a very prosperous "creole" family in Caracas, modern-day Venezuela. Nearly all Latin Americans are descended from European Spaniards. The Bolivar family was among the wealthiest in the colony at the time, when a small number of families controlled the majority of the land in Venezuela. Simón lost both of his parents when he was still a young child. His mother, Concepcion Palacios, passed away when he was 9 years old, and he had no recollection of his father, Juan Vicente.
• After becoming an orphan, Simón moved in with his grandfather, where he was nurtured by his uncles and his carer Hipólita, whom he adored. Young Simón was a cocky, excitable boy who frequently argued with his teachers. He received his education at the best institutions Caracas had to offer. He travelled to Europe between 1804 and 1807, touring the continent in the style of an affluent New World Creole.
• He was influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution and later studied at the Royal and Pontifical University of Caracas. Bolívar also spent time in Europe, where he continued his education and was exposed to different political and cultural ideas that shaped his views and ideals for South America's independence.
• Bolivar had a lot of enthusiasm and was a born leader. He was fiercely competitive and frequently challenged his officers to swimming or riding competitions, which he often won. He could play cards, drink, and sing with them all night long.
• Early in his life, Bolivar got married, but his wife passed away soon after. He started becoming known as a womaniser after that and, throughout the years had dozens, if not hundreds, of lovers. He was very particular about looks, adored making spectacular entries, and could spend hours grooming himself—some say he could go through a whole bottle of perfume in a single day.

ESTABLISHMENT OF VENEZUELAN REPUBLICS

• In 1807, Simón Bolivar returned to Venezuela to find a divided nation, with some loyal to Spain and others seeking independence. General Francisco de Miranda's failed assault in 1806, combined with Napoleon's conquest of Spain and detention of King Ferdinand VII in 1808, gave momentum to independence. On 19 April 1810, Caracas declared temporary independence from Spain, and Bolivar played a significant role in promoting full independence, traveling to England with a delegation to seek British assistance. Miranda also returned to Venezuela to take part in the new country's administration.
• When Bolivar arrived back, he saw civil unrest between royalists and patriots. The First Venezuelan Republic abandoned the charade that they were still loyal to Ferdinand VII on 5 July 1811, and on 26 March 1812, a devastating earthquake shook Venezuela. Spanish priests were able to persuade a superstitious populace that the earthquake was divine vengeance after it mostly struck communities with a history of rebellion. 
• Domingo Monteverde, a royalist captain, rallied the Spanish and royalist forces and took Valencia and other significant ports. Miranda filed a peace suit. Bolvar, outraged, detained Miranda and handed him over to the Spanish, but the First Republic had collapsed, and the Spanish had reclaimed control of Venezuela.
• Bolivar fled after losing and went into exile. 
• Travelled to New Granada (present-day Colombia) in late 1812 in search of an officer position
• Assigned command of an outpost and 200 troops
• Increased his reputation and army through attacks on Spanish soldiers in the region
• Prepared to lead a sizable force into Venezuela by early 1813
• Venezuelan royalists tried to encircle him with minor forces rather than defeat head-on
• Made a hasty retreat into Caracas
• Rode triumphantly into Caracas at the head of his army on 7th August 1813 - this spectacular march was called "The Admirable Campaign."
• The Second Venezuelan Republic was formed by Bolivar quite rapidly. The appreciative populace gave him the moniker of ‘Liberator’ and appointed him as the new country's dictator. Bolivar outwitted the Spanish, but he did not defeat their forces. Being constantly at odds with royalist forces left him with little time for administration. 
• Beginning in 1814, a force of wild Plainsmen known as the "infernal Legion," headed by a ruthless but charismatic Spaniard by the name of Tomas Boves, started attacking the fledgling republic. When Bolivar was routed by Boves at the second Battle of La Puerta in June 1814, the Second Republic came to an end as he was forced to flee first Valencia and then Caracas. Bolivar went into exile again.
• It was a difficult time for Bolivar and South America from 1814 until 1819. He wrote his renowned ‘Letter from Jamaica’, outlining the current state of independence, in 1815. The letter, which was widely circulated, reaffirmed his status as the primary figurehead of the Independence.
• Venezuela was in a state of mayhem when he arrived back on the mainland. Leaders of the pro-independence movement and royalist forces clashed all throughout the country, destroying the landscape. There was a lot of conflict amongst the several generals battling for independence at this time. Bolivar wasn't able to pull other Patriot warlords like Santiago Mario and José Antonio Páez into line until he made a public spectacle of General Manuel Piar by having him executed in October 1817.

THE LIBERATOR

• At the beginning of 1819, Venezuela was in a state of ruin due to ongoing conflicts between royalists and patriots. Bolivar, pressed against the Andes, saw an opportunity to take the Spanish stronghold in Bogota, which was vulnerable and relatively undefended. However, the journey was treacherous, involving crossing the massive Andes Mountains, flooded lowlands, marshes, and rivers. In May 1819, Bolivar started the trip with 2,400 troops, eventually arriving in Socha on 6 July 1819 after crossing the Páramo de Pisba pass in the Andes. However, the journey took a toll on his army, and some estimate that as many as 2,000 soldiers could have died during the trip.

  

• Bolivar was able to overcome previous setbacks and bring his army to the desired location in the summer of 1819
• He used the element of surprise, as his opponents did not expect him to cross the Andes Mountains
• He successfully recruited additional soldiers from the local population who were eager for liberation
• He marched towards the city of Bogota, where only one enemy army was standing in his way
• On 7 August 1819, he staged an ambush against Spanish General José Mara Barreiro along the banks of the Boyaca River.
• The battle was a decisive victory for Bolivar, with impressive results
• Despite losing some of his own soldiers and being wounded, he managed to inflict heavy losses on the enemy forces
• 200 royalists were killed, and 1,600 were taken captive, while Bolivar entered Bogota without facing any resistance on 10 August
• Bolivar maintained control of New Granada after Barreiro's army was routed. It was just a matter of time before the surviving Spanish armies in Venezuela and New Granada were exhausted and routed with the help of his acquired resources, weaponry, and men. The crucial Battle of Carabobo, which took place on 24 June 1821, saw Bolivar defeat the last significant royalist force in Venezuela. 
• Bolivar boldly announced the foundation of a New Republic called Gran Colombia, which would encompass the nations of Venezuela, New Granada, and Ecuador. He was elected president, and Vice President Francisco de Paula Santander was chosen. Bolivar switched his attention to the south after liberating northern South America.
• Bolivar sent his best general, Antonio José de Sucre, to lead an army south due to his own political obligations. Sucre's army successfully freed towns and cities as they advanced into modern-day Ecuador. On 24 May 1822, Sucre and the Patriots achieved a decisive victory in the Battle of Pichincha, defeating the largest royalist force in Ecuador and expelling the Spanish from the country permanently.
• Bolivar left Santander in charge of Gran Colombia and travelled south to meet with Sucre
• He had a meeting with Argentinean liberator José de San Martín in Guayaquil on July 26-27
• Bolivar was chosen to lead the invasion into Peru, the final stronghold of the royalists on the continent
• At the Battle of Junin on August 6, 1824, Bolivar and Sucre defeated the Spanish forces
• At the Battle of Ayacucho on December 9, Sucre delivered another crushing defeat to the royalists, destroying the last royalist force in Peru.
• The Congress of Upper Peru established the country of Bolivia, named after Bolivar, on August 6 of the following year and appointed him as its first president
• Bolivar reigned over what is now Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama after driving the Spanish out of northern and western South America. His vision was to bring them all together to form a single, cohesive country, but that did not come to fruition.
• By refusing to contribute troops and supplies during the liberation of Ecuador and Peru, Santander had enraged Bolivar, and when he returned to Gran Colombia, Bolivar sacked him. At that time, the republic was disintegrating. In Bolivar's absence, local leaders had been concentrating their authority. Independence hero José Antonio Páez frequently threatened Venezuela with independence. Santander still had supporters in Colombia who believed he was the greatest candidate to govern the country. Juan José Flores attempted to pull Ecuador away from Gran Colombia.
• Bolivar was compelled to grab control of the unwielding country and submit the country to tyranny. His admirers and adversaries split the nations; in the streets, effigies of him as a dictator were burnt. A civil war was always a possibility. On 25 September 1828, his adversaries made an attempt on his life and came dangerously close to succeeding; it was only Manuela Saenz, his sweetheart, who stepped in to save him.

DEATH AND LEGACY

• His health deteriorated and his tuberculosis worsened as the Republic of Gran Colombia crumbled around him. Bolivar resigned as president in April 1830 due to disillusionment, illness, and bitterness. He then left for exile in Europe. His successors battled over the remnants of his empire even as he was departing, and his friends tried to have him reinstalled. He continued to fantasise about uniting South America into a single, powerful nation as he and his crew slowly made their way to the shore. He eventually passed away from tuberculosis on 17 December 1830.
• Bolivar's significance in northern and western South America cannot be overstated. It needed a man of Bolvar's abilities to make the Spanish colonies in the New World independent, even if it was inevitable. Bolivar was the most powerful politician and perhaps the finest general South America has ever produced. Bolivar is properly regarded by many as the most significant character in Latin American history because of the amazing mix of abilities he possessed. His name was on Michael H. Hart's renowned list of the top 100 historical figures from 1978. The list also includes Alexander the Great, Confucius, and Jesus Christ.
• Bolivar was a visionary leader who had a deep understanding of the challenges facing Latin America in the aftermath of the Spanish colonial period.

  

• He believed that freedom was the cornerstone for the future of the region, and had a clear plan for achieving this goal
• Bolivar foresaw that the fragmentation of Gran Colombia into smaller, weaker republics would have long-lasting consequences for Latin America on the world stage and be a major disadvantage for the region.
• This prediction has become reality, as many Latin Americans have looked back and wondered what might have been if Bolivar had been successful in unifying northern and western South America into a single entity.
• Today, Latin America is made up of many small, often feuding republics, instead of the strong, unified nation that Bolivar envisioned.
• Many people continue to find inspiration in Bolivar. Hugo Chavez, a former dictator of Venezuela, sought to steer his nation toward socialism in 1999 by launching what he dubbed a "Bolivarian Revolution" in his nation and equating himself to the illustrious commander. Bolivar has been the subject of several books and films; one notable example is Gabriel Garcia Marquez's ‘The General in His Labyrinth’, which details Bolivar's last voyage.