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Bolívar and Gran Colombia - Coggle Diagram
Bolívar and Gran Colombia
Pre-Revolutionary History
Key Spanish Viceroyalties
The viceroy system started in New Granada in 1717, failed in 1723, was put back in place in 1739, and continued until the 1820s when New Granada became part of Gran Colombia.
(Cengage)
(Encyclopedia Britannica, Late Formative Period)
Pre-Bolívar Uprisings and Revolts
The Comunero Rebellion occurred in 1781.
Led by peasants in the region of Socorro to protest the high taxes imposed by the Spanish government.
Wanted an end to taxes and reforms to protect indigenous lands and appoint more Creoles to leadership roles.
The rebels were met with force and many of the leaders were hanged.
Considered one of the precursors to the revolutionary wars for independence.
(BBC News)
(Gilmore, Louis, McGreevey, et al.)
(Encyclopaedia Britannica, Comunero Rebellion)
Political Tensions
Reasons for social and political tension in pre-revolutionary Colombia:
Resentment towards the Spanish crown and colonial systems
Economic restrictions and taxes imposed by Spain
Inequality
The desire for autonomy and self-government.
One of the biggest tensions that led to uprisings was the lack of political representation for the Creoles. They were upper to middle class as they were Spanish blood but born in the Americas and their frustration at the lack of government combined with their relative socioeconomic status and power gave them reason and the methods for revolt.
(Ospino)
(Skretteberg)
Social Structure & Ethnic Hierarchies
Political and Economic Power
The Spanish crown controlled New Granada and imposed taxes which sparked rebellion.
The Criollos had some power in New Granada because they were above the other citizens in the caste system but couldn’t truly hold government roles.
(Encyclopaedia Britannica, Comunero Rebellion)
Spanish Caste System
Peninsulares: Spaniards born in Spain
Criollos: Spaniards born in the Americas
Mestizos: One Spanish and one indigenous parent
Mulatos: One Spanish and one African parent
Zambos: Indigenous and an African parents
Indigenous
African
(Fivable)
(Valdez)
Spanish caste system
Groups Pursuing Independence
The criollos were one of the most influential groups that instigated and fought for independence because they were often highly educated in other countries and influenced by European ideas for self determination.
They wanted independence because they were educated and wealthy but not able to hold positions of power.
(Justice for Colombia)
(Skretteberg)
Social inequalities in relation to rebellion
Economic exploitation from encomienda, resguardo, and slave labor systems created deep-rooted inequalities based on the exploitation of the masses. These vast economic disparities created seeds for rebellion. These systems locked people into hierarchical systems based on limited social and economic mobility. The systems were reinforced by political exclusions and complex power dynamics.
Leaders & Military Strategies
Key Revolutionary Leaders with Bolivar
Francisco de Paula Santander: Supported Simón Bolívar and was the president of Colombia from 1833-1837
(Encyclopedia Britannica, Francisco De Paula Santander)
José Antonio Páez: Mestizo that worked his way up the social hierarchy. Supported Bolívar at first but ended up fighting for Venezuela as an independent country. Was president of Venezuela 3 times.
(Encyclopedia Britannica, José Antonio Páez)
Military Strategies in the Pursuit of Independence
Bolívar's military techniques led him and his army to many victories which helped them gain independence.
His main technique was guerrilla warfare which used small, unpredictable attacks to wear out enemies. (Pce) (Defence Procurement International) (Asprey)
He was also good at using the terrain to his advantage. This can be seen in his plan to cross the Andes as a way to surprise the enemy when liberating New Granada.
(Defence Procurement International)
Militias
Local militias provided the power and backbone for Bolívar's efforts for independence. Bolivar began his career as a militia officer in Venezuela and militias were vital especially for his early revolutionary campaigns.
(Neaton)
Enslaved Fighters
Bolívar recruited many slaves, Africans, and mixed-raced fighters for his revolutionary armies. This was very important as these groups made up more than half of the population of Colombia. He promised these fighters absolute freedom and land confiscated from Spanish royalists.
(Neaton)
Francisco de Paula Santander
José Antonio Páez
Simón Bolívar
Prominent Battles in Colombia
Simón Bolívar fought many important battles in Colombia, as he wanted it to be the central point of his new nation of Gran Colombia. The most influential battles he fought in Colombia were:
Battle of Gámeza (July 12, 1819). This was one of the initial battles that started to push back against Spanish royals. (Masur and Straussmann)
Battle of Vargas Swamp (July 25, 1819). This battle intercepted Spanish forces trying to enter Bogota and was important in weakening the Spanish forces. (Masur and Straussmann)
Battle of Tunja (August 5, 1819): Bolívar's forces captured the town of Tunja. (Masur and Straussmann)
Battle of Boyacá (August 7, 1819): this battle was the most important for the independence of colombia. Bolívar defeated the royal army, captured Bogota (which became the capital of Gran Colombia). Three days after the battle they declared independence from New Granada. (Masur and Straussmann) (Reynolds)
Simón Bolívar
Vision for South America
Bolivar fought to free the countries in South America from Spain and unite them as one (Gran Colombia). His goals were liberty and equality. He said, “Tyranny and anarchy constitute an immense sea of oppression encircling a tiny island of freedom” and wanted to get rid of them. He thought that the inherent need for absolute power caused chaos and aimed to stop that. He also wanted equality. As part of a deal he made with Haiti, he worked to free slaves but wasn’t able to fully abolish it. He also worked to make land ownership more accessible.
(Lynch)
Work with Regional Leaders
Bolivar's ideals of liberation, unity, and equality combined with his strong military presence convinced leaders to join Gran Colombia. He provided them with hope for a better future and gained their respect from his many military victories.
(Gilmore)
Enlightenment & Education
Influence of Enlightenment Thinkers
Bolívar was heavily influenced by Enlightenment thinkers such as Locke, Rousseau, and Montesquieu. He looked to them when considering how he wanted the government of Gran Colombia to be structured. (Amamoo)
Education
Before Independence
The criollos and peninsulares had access to education as they held the wealth and sociopolitical power to pursue education, often abroad in Europe. Simón Bolívar, as criollo, held those privileges and pursued his education in Europe where he learned about the Enlightenment philosophies.
Bolívar's Beliefs
Bolívar believed heavily in education and promoted the teaching of “useful sciences”
Governance
Originally he wanted a democracy but eventually changed his goals, knowing that democracy wouldn’t be the ideal form of government yet and opting instead for a strong executive government to hold the country together.
Economics
Major Exports
The primary export from Colombia was gold but agricultural products were also traded.
(McGreevy)
Spanish Trade Restrictions
The primary trade restrictions came from taxes by the Spanish crown. This made it hard for people to accumulate wealth.
(Encyclopedia Britannica, History of Columbia)
Slave Systems and Production
Slavery was essential to the economy of South America. This made it hard to abolish because they were so reliant on it for production. It was hard for Bolívar to gain the footing to fully stop it. (Lynch)
