Members:
Ana Laura Coello
Eduardo Mendoza
Deborah Oleas
Laura Sempertegui
Simon Bolivar
 Known as El Libertador ”The
Liberator” and the "George
Washington of South America",
Simon Bolivar was a great general
and statesman in South America.He
led revolutions against Spanish rule
in the Viceroyalty of New Granada
,an area that included present-day
Colombia, Bolivia, Panama, Ecuador
and Venezuela.
 To do this, he won military victories against Spanish forces in
Bolivia, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
These victories led to the end of Spanish colonialism and the
beginning of national independence in each of those countries.
 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 end 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
area that comprised present-day
Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador,
and Panama; a country already
recognized by the United States ;
and dictator of Peru.
 In 1825, Bolivar's forces, under Antonio Jose de Sucre, liberated
Upper Peru. This country was renamed Bolivia, in honor of Simon
Bolivar. He had hoped to form a union of the new South American
nations, from Chile and Argentina to Mexico; but in fact nationalist
sentiments quickly came to prevail over pan-continental ideals and,
by the year 1830, Gran Colombia had split into three different
countries ; Colombia (including Panama), Venezuela, and Ecuador.
What happened to the countries Simón Bolívar liberated?
 José Antonio Páez led a separatist movement which in 1830 made
Venezuela an independent state. During much of its history since then, the
nation has been dominated by ”caudillos” ,military dictators from the
landholding class.
 Ecuador, when it was first designated a country, was about four times the
size it is now. It lost territory in continuing border struggles with Colombia
and Peru, some of which are still under dispute. Political squabbles between
the conservatives who wanted to preserve the status of church, and the
liberals who wanted social reform, continued throughout the next century.
 Peru battled boundary disputes with neighboring countries. Peruvian society
was dominated by the wealthy oligarchy who kept many of the Spanish
colonial customs, alienating them from the poor, mostly of indigenous
descent. Revolts and dictatorships became the norm of political life.
 In Colombia, political and economic rivarly between the different social
groups plunged the country into civil wars and dictatorships. This continued
into the twentieth century. In an attempt to overcome the regional conflict
and dissension, the country was given a new Constitution and, in 1863,
turned in a Federation of nine states called the United States of Colombia.
 General Sucre served as the first president of Bolivia from 1825
to 1828, the year he foiled an invasion from Peru. He was
succeeded by Andrés Santa Cruz who had served as Bolívar's
revolutionary chief of staff. In 1835, Santa Cruz attempted a union
between Bolivia and Peru by invading Peru and becoming its
protector. However, he lost the battle of Yungay in 1839, and fled
to exile in Europe. Coups and revolutions occurring almost
annually have since characterized Bolivia's political history.
 Long after his death, the reputation
of Simón Bolívar was restored and
today he is revered as South
America's greatest
hero, The Liberator. In Venezuela
and Bolivia his birthday is
celebrated as a national holiday.
Schools, buildings, children, towns
in South America and abroad are
named for him.
