Known as El libertador

Brief Biography He was born to very wealthy parents in Venezuela in His parents died when he was young. He attended military school in Venezuela. He toured Europe in his youth where he was influenced by the democratic ideals current in Europe at that time. The French and American revolutions were still fresh in people’s minds and made an impression on Bolívar. Throughout the 1810s and 20s, Bolívar helped the countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia to gain independence from Spain. He was President of Gran Colombia, a confederacy of several nations for about 10 years, after which he was ousted from power. He died in 1830 at the age of 47.

Legacy Just like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin in our country, Bolívar is revered throughout South America as a man who helped many countries achieve independence from Spain. Just like our American patriots, you can see tributes to him everywhere. Here are some of them…

Statue to Bolívar in Colombia

Venezuelan money (called Bolivares)

The country of Bolivia (One of the few countries named after a person)