Simón Bolívar graduated college on July 24th, 1783.
Simon Jose Antonio de la Santisima Trinidad Bolivar y Palacios -LRB- -LSB- siˈmon boˈliβar -RSB- ; 24 July 1783 -- 17 December 1830 -RRB- , known as El Libertador , was a Venezuelan military and political leader who played a leading role in the establishment of Venezuela , Bolivia , Colombia , Ecuador , Peru and Panama as sovereign states , independent of Spanish rule .. Venezuela. Venezuela. Colombia. Colombia. El Libertador. libertadores. Venezuelan. Venezuelan. Bolivia. Bolivia. Ecuador. Ecuador. Peru. Peru. Panama. Panama. Spanish rule. Spanish Empire. Bolivar was born into a wealthy , aristocratic Creole family and , as was common for the heirs of upper class families in his day , was sent to be educated abroad at a young age , arriving in Spain when he was 16 and later moving to France .. Creole. Criollo people. Spain. Spain. While in Europe he was introduced to the ideas of the Enlightenment , later motivating him to overthrow the reigning Spanish .. Europe. Europe. Enlightenment. Age of Enlightenment. Taking advantage of the disorder in Spain prompted by the Peninsular War , Bolivar began his campaign for independence in 1808 , appealing to the wealthy Creole population through a conservative process , and established an organized national congress within three years .. Creole. Criollo people. Spain. Spain. Peninsular War. Peninsular War. conservative. conservative. Despite a number of hindrances , including the arrival of an unprecedentedly large Spanish expeditionary force , the revolutionaries eventually prevailed , culminating in the patriot victory at the Battle of Carabobo in 1821 , which effectively made Venezuela an independent country .. Venezuela. Venezuela. patriot. Patriot ( Spanish American Independence ). Battle of Carabobo. Battle of Carabobo. Following this triumph over the Spanish monarchy , Bolivar participated in the foundation of the first union of independent nations in Latin America , Gran Colombia , of which he was president from 1819 to 1830 .. Gran Colombia. Gran Colombia. Colombia. Colombia. Spanish monarchy. Monarchy of Spain. Through further military campaigns , he ousted Spanish rulers from Ecuador , Peru , and Bolivia -LRB- named after him -RRB- .. Bolivia. Bolivia. Ecuador. Ecuador. Peru. Peru. He was simultaneously president of Gran Colombia -LRB- current Venezuela , Colombia , Panama and Ecuador -RRB- and Peru , while his second in command Antonio Jose de Sucre was appointed president of Bolivia .. Venezuela. Venezuela. Gran Colombia. Gran Colombia. Colombia. Colombia. Antonio Jose de Sucre. Antonio Jose de Sucre. Bolivia. Bolivia. Ecuador. Ecuador. Peru. Peru. He aimed at a strong and united Spanish America able to cope not only with the threats emanating from Spain and the European Holy Alliance but also with the emerging power of the United States .. Spain. Spain. At the peak of his power , Bolivar ruled over a vast territory from the Argentine border to the Caribbean Sea .. Argentine. Argentina. Caribbean Sea. Caribbean Sea. Bolivar is , along with Argentine General Jose de San Martin , considered one of the great heroes of the Hispanic independence movements of the early 19th century .. Argentine. Argentina. Jose de San Martin. Jose de San Martin. Hispanic. Hispanic. At the end of his life , Bolivar despaired of the situation in the region , with the famous quote `` all who served the revolution have plowed the sea '' .. Earlier , in an address to the Constituent Congress of the Republic of Colombia , Bolivar stated `` Fellow citizens !. Colombia. Colombia. I blush to say this  : Independence is the only benefit we have acquired , to the detriment of all the rest . ''