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Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military leader who was instrumental in the revolutions against the Spanish empire. Born wealthy, Bolívar was sent to Spain to get his education, soon deciding to involve himself in the political area of Europe. After France invaded Spain in 1808, he became involved in the resistance movement and played an important role in the Spanish American fight for independence. In 1825 the "Republic of Bolivia" was created in honor of the inspirational leader, hailed by many as El Libertador (The Liberator).

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Simón José Antonio de la Santísma Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (Simón Bolívar) was born on July 24, 1783 in Caracas, New Granada (now Venezuela). Bolívar was born into a prosperous family who took their money from rich gold and copper mines they owned in Venezuela. Young Bolívar moved to Spain in 1799 after the deaths of his parents. In Spain, he continued his education, begun in Venezuela with tutors, and married María Teresa Rodríguez del Toro y Alaysa in 1802. When the couple returned to Venezuela to visit in 1802, María Teresa got sick and later died from yellow fever.

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After the death of his wife, Bolívar returned to Europe and kept company with Napoleon. Bolívar returned to Venezuela in 1807. After hearing Napoleon named Joseph Bonaparte King of Spain and its colonies, including Venezuela, Bolívar joined the resistance movement. The resistance group located in Caracas gained independence in 1810, and Bolívar traveled to Britain on a political mission. The fight for control of Caracas, Venezuela and most of South America had continued back home. Finally, Bolívar returned to Venezuela and he began a campaign to gain control of that country from the Spanish. He and his followers invaded Venezuela on May 14, 1813. This began "Campaña Admirable" (Admirable Campaign), which had resulted in the formation of the Venezuelan Second Republic later that year.  Bolívar was hailed as El Libertador, though civil war soon erupted in the republic, which forced him to flee to Jamaica and seek foreign aid. There he wrote his famous "Letter From Jamaica," explaining his vision of a South American republic with a parliamentary setup modeled after England and a life-long president. His idea of being a nation's chief whose power couldn't be taken away, would be heavily assessed by other leaders and intellectuals.

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Bolívar had been successful in trying to unite most of South America in a federation free from Spanish rule, but the government was frail. Despite Bolívar's desire to create a union of states similar to that which created the United States of America, he faced resistance from internal factions throughout the huge Gran Colombia, with there being a push to form single nations. As a temporary measure, Bolívar declared himself dictator in 1828, but he escaped an assassination attempt in September of the same year, with aid from his mistress and fellow revolutionary Manuela Sáenz. He resigned this post in 1830 and made plans to sail for exile in Europe.

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A brief summary of the The Jamaica Letters

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Why did you choose this topic? I chose to learn about Simón Bolívar because he was a key part in the South American independence movement.
What did you think about this topic going into it? I thought that Bolívar was very important and it turns out I was right.
What did you learn about this topic? I learned that there are key people who played an important role in history.
How did your learning change your thoughts on the topic? I felt more sympathy for Bolívar since his wife had died of yellow fever.
What did you enjoy about your topic and the technology you chose to use? I enjoyed using Padlet and I hope I can use it again in the future!

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Marriage of Bolívar with Mrs. María Teresa Rodríguez del Toro y Alayza" by the Venezuelan painter Tito Salas and which can now be seen in Bolívar's Birthplace in Caracas.

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Domingo, Marta R. “El Triste Final De La Aristócrata Madrileña Que Conquistó a Simón Bolívar.” Abc, ABC.es, 4 Sept. 2015, www.abc.es/madrid/20150904/abci-simon-bolivar-mujer-madrid-201509011037.html.

Lynch, John. “Simon Bolivar and the Spanish Revolutions.” History Today, 7 July 1983, www.historytoday.com/archive/simon-bolivar-and-spanish-revolutions.

“Simón Bolívar.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 26 Aug. 2020, www.biography.com/political-figure/simon-bolivar.