| Have you been wondering what July 24th | | | | During the year of 1808 in South America, Bolivar |
| commemorates? This is the day that “The | | | | joined the resistance juntas to support the efforts that |
| Liberator” was born. For those of you who are | | | | were being made against Spain. Shortly after this, in |
| unaware of this little piece of Spanish history, read on | | | | 1812, Bolivar had to flee Venezuela. It was during this |
| to learn more or simply brush up on your Simon Bolivar | | | | time that he wrote the Manifesto de Cartagena. This |
| trivia. | | | | also happens to be the first public document of Bolivar. |
| | | | | |
| The man known as “The Liberator”, Simón | | | | The very next year, Bolivar headed up the military in |
| José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y | | | | what is now Columbia, but was then Tunja New |
| Palacios Ponte Blanco, or Simon Bolivar, for this | | | | Granada. May 14, 1813 is what initially set things into |
| article’s purpose, was born on the 24th of July, | | | | motion for the Admirable Campaign. This was the day |
| 1783 in Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas. Though | | | | that Bolivar and his troops invaded Venezuela. By June |
| his legacy was not necessarily etched in stone, the | | | | 9th, Bolivar was being called “The Liberator” and |
| Bolivar name was associated with the higher classes. | | | | was soon ratified as such. |
| In fact, his father was a remote descendant of King | | | | |
| Fernando III. | | | | Bolivar went on to fight for independence from Spain |
| | | | | for many years; until Venezuela, New Granada, and |
| Here is a little tidbit that you might find in a Simon | | | | Ecuador were all independent of Spain. On the 7th of |
| Bolivar quiz. Bolivar’s parents had both passed | | | | September, Gran Colombia was formed and Bolivar |
| away quite early in life; forcing the young Bolivar to | | | | became the President. But, Simon Bolivar’s life as |
| finish his education in Spain. He met and subsequently | | | | “The Liberator” was far from over. He also |
| married a young woman, named Maria del Toro, in | | | | concentrated on fully liberating Peru and was |
| Spain in 1802. By 1804, he had lost his young wife to | | | | eventually named the country’s dictator. Bolivar had |
| yellow fever and had chosen to leave Venezuela to | | | | partnered with Antonio Sucre and together they |
| revisit Europe. | | | | defeated the Spanish. |
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