Simón Bolívar and South American Independence

Simón Bolívar was born in South America in the year $1783$ .
His birth occurred $6$ years before the start of the French Revolution.
Bolívar was raised in a privileged and wealthy household situated in Spanish-controlled Caracas, which is the modern-day capital of Venezuela.
Despite his wealth, Bolívar observed the stark social inequities inherent in South American colonial society.
South American social classes were divided primarily into two groups of Spaniards:
- Peninsulares: These were individuals born in Spain who dominated colonial affairs related to the church and the state.
- Criollos (cree-OH-yohs): These were American-born Spaniards who lacked the power held by the Peninsulares.
The Criollos were deeply aware of Enlightenment ideals regarding fairness and equality.
This class of citizens desired greater economic and political freedom and developed a strong resentment toward the Spanish due to their treatment.

As a young man, Bolívar became fascinated by Enlightenment principles and the democratic ideals that drove the American and French revolutions.
During the reign of Napoleon, Bolívar traveled through Madrid, Rome, and Paris, which solidified his resolve to win liberty for South Americans.
Committed to this cause, he made a sacred oath: "I swear before you, I swear by the God of my fathers, I swear on their graves, I swear by my Country that I will not rest body or soul until I have broken the chain binding us to the will of Spanish might!"
Bolívar's vision of liberation was distinct: he did not want his country to endure a “reign of terror” or a dictatorship like that of Napoleon, though he did envy Napoleon's success and sought personal glory as a freedom fighter.
He aimed to match or exceed the revolutionary successes observed in the United States and Haiti.

In the year $1808$ , Napoleon removed the Spanish king and replaced him with his own brother.
In response, the South American elite formed juntas (HUN-tuhs), defined as military or political ruling groups who seize power by force to manage local lands until Spanish authority is restored.
Bolívar viewed this transition to French rule in Spain as the opportune moment to strike for independence.
Bolívar demonstrated exceptional military leadership and used strategic alliances to bolster his forces:
- He offered freedom to any slaves who joined his military.
- He recruited indigenous peoples, Africans, and people of mixed descent, who constituted the majority of the Venezuelan population.
Bolívar earned the loyalty of his troops through his physical toughness and by sharing their hardships, such as the instance where he spent an entire night submerged in a lake to evade Spanish detection.
In $1813$ , Bolívar successfully led his army to take over Venezuela, though civil war between social classes soon forced him into exile.
Following Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in $1815$ , monarchical authority was restored in South America, making the path to liberty increasingly difficult.

Bolívar, often referred to by the title "the Liberator," returned to Venezuela in $1817$ and moved into the interior of the country to rebuild his military forces.
He eventually became the supreme commander of various patriotic revolutionary forces.
In $1819$ , while Spain still occupied Caracas, delegates at the Congress of Angostura planned for independence.
Bolívar advocated for a powerful central government with an effective executive branch, fearing that a dominant legislature would cause instability and division.
He developed a plan to move his army south to liberate a vast territory and form a constitutional union known as Gran Colombia.
Gran Colombia was intended to include several present-day nations:
- Venezuela
- Colombia
- Panama
- Ecuador
- Peru

While in exile on the island of Jamaica in $1815$ , Bolívar wrote a letter to the governor analyzing the struggle for independence.
Bolívar described the social condition of Americans under the Spanish system: "Americans today, and perhaps to a greater extent than ever before, who live within the Spanish system occupy a position in society no better than that of serfs destined for labor."
He noted several economic restrictions imposed by Spain, including prohibitions on:
- Cultivating European crops.
- Storing products that were held as royal monopolies.
- Establishing factories of a type not even possessed by the Spanish Peninsula itself.
Bolívar stated that the desire for liberty stems from a natural "instinct to aspire to the greatest possible happiness," a principle common to all men in societies based on justice, liberty, and equality.

Despite his lifelong dedication, Bolívar never fully realized his dream of a stable and united South American continent.
His life story is described by biographers as one of "liberation and disappointment."
Bolívar died having fought for freedom for his entire life, but without achieving the unified political structure he envisioned.
He is still honored as the primary "Liberator" of South America, and his birthday on July $24$ is celebrated as a major holiday in numerous Latin American nations.

1. Reading Check: What were Simón Bolívar’s goals for South America?
- Response: Bolívar’s goals were independence from Spanish rule and the creation of a stable, united constitutional union called Gran Colombia that would equal or surpass the success of the United States and Haiti.
2. Compare and Contrast: How did differences in South American social classes both help and hurt the revolutionary cause?
- Response: The resentment of the Criollos toward the Peninsulares drove the movement for independence, and the support of the majority (slaves, indigenous people, and those of mixed descent) was essential for military victory. However, class conflict led to a civil war in Venezuela that initially defeated Bolívar's efforts and forced him into exile.
3. Analyze Sources: What evidence in Bolívar’s letter to the governor of Jamaica suggests his belief in Enlightenment principles?
- Response: Bolívar explicitly references the common human instinct for "the greatest possible happiness" and advocates for civil societies "founded on the principles of justice, liberty, and equality."