Simón+Bolívar

=Simón Bolívar=

Early Life
 Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader who was born on July 24, 1783, and died on December 17, 1830. He was brought up in a wealthy Creole family in New Granada (now Venezuela) and was well educated when he was young. He moved to Spain when he was 16, and then to France later on in his life. Because Europe was filled with Enlightenment philosophers, Bolívar heard many independence theories throughout his lifetime. This played a huge role in his legacy, as he helped Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and primarily Venezuela all gain independence from Spain throughout the course of his career as a military and political leader.

===During the Peninsular War in 1808, while Spain was in disorder and divided, Bolívar took advantage and began campaigning for Venezuelan independence from Spain. In only three years, Bolívar managed to create a working national congress with conservative political views. In 1821, following Venezuela’s victory at the Battle of Carabobo, Venezuela was made an independent country under Bolívar as president. After declaring independence in Venezuela, he progressed in further military campaigns to eventually become the simultaneous president of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, and then Peru.===

On July 27, 1822, Bolívar fully liberated Peru from Spanish rule. The Peruvian congress gave him the position as dictator of Peru on February 10, 1824, giving him total military and political control and reorganization of Peru. On August 6, 1824, Bolívar defeated the Spanish cavalry at the Battle of Junin, leading to the fall of all Spanish troops left in Peru. On August 6, 1825, exactly one year after winning the Battle of Junin, the Congress of Upper Peru created the Republic of Bolivia. Bolívar returned to Venezuela in 1827 to assume absolute power. Finally, on January 2, 1830, Bolívar surrendered his total power of Peru to its own government.

Simón Bolívar helped lead Peru (as well as the other aforementioned countries) to its independence from Spain. Without him, Peru might’ve still be a Spanish colonial territory today.

By: Zac Meyers