What made Simon Bolivar special?

Have you ever unified a bunch of warlords in a successful attempt to kick out imperialists from an ocean away? Because that's the short version of Bolivar's life. read more

Ultimately though, the answer to your question is somewhat dissatisfying: Simon Bolivar wasn't special. Not at all. Jose de San Martin, Bernardo O'Higgins, and Antonio Jose de Sucre all come to mind as similar men of revolution, and that number being so low speaks more to what I don't know than to a lack of suitable figures. read more

Simón Bolívar was born in a house in Caracas, Captaincy General of Venezuela, on 24 July 1783. : 6 He was baptized as Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios. His mother was María de la Concepción Palacios y Blanco, and his father was Colonel Don Juan Vicente Bolívar y Ponte. read more