How did Bolivar rise to power?
Simon Bolivar was from a noble family. He studied law in Madrid. After Venezuelan independence he fled to New Granada and raised an army. He made several attempts that culminated in victory at Carabobo in 1821, but it was only in 1824 that the Royalist troops were finally driven out. In 1819 Bolivar became President of Colombia (comprising Modern Venezuela. Colombia, and from 1822 Ecuador). In 1824 he joined with other rebel leaders to drive the Sanish from Peru, and made himself dictator there for a time. Upper Peru was made a seperate state named Bolivia in his honour whilst he was made perpetual protector. His contitution caused dissension and the Colombian troops were driven out. In 1828 he returned to Colombia and assumed supreme power, which caused apprehension in republican quarters and ended in Venezuela seperating from Colombia. Bolivar resigned in 1830. His ideal of a federation of all Spanish speaking South American states continued to exert an influence.
