Bolivian Declaration of Independence facts for kids
Bolivia became an independent country on August 6, 1825. This big event happened at a special meeting called a congress, held in a city then known as Chuquisaca (now called Sucre).
Contents
How Bolivia Became Independent
The Fight for Freedom in South America
The fight for independence in South America was a long one. Many countries were trying to break free from Spanish rule. Bolivia's journey to independence was part of this larger struggle.
General Antonio José de Sucre led troops from Gran Colombia (a large country that used to include Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama). They landed in Peru to help with the fight. Meanwhile, General Andrés de Santa Cruz, who had once fought for Spain, joined the independence movement. He joined Sucre's forces, and they began marching towards Upper Peru, which is now Bolivia.
In August 1823, they entered the city of La Paz. Santa Cruz won an important battle called the Battle of Zepita on August 25, 1823.
Peru's Difficult Situation
Between 1822 and 1823, the situation in Peru was very difficult. The armies fighting for independence had been defeated by the Spanish, and the country's government was in chaos.
When Simón Bolívar, a very important leader, arrived in Lima on September 1, 1823, he faced these problems. The Peruvian congress gave him control of the military.
Things looked bad for the independence fighters. Peru's freedom was not guaranteed. On February 29, 1824, the Spanish forces even took over Lima again. But at the same time, big political changes were happening in Spain. This helped weaken the Spanish armies in America.
A Divided Spanish Army
General Pedro Antonio Olañeta was a Spanish general who strongly believed in the king's absolute power. He rebelled against the viceroy La Serna. Olañeta thought La Serna wanted to separate from Spain and free Peru from the king's rule. This division among the Spanish forces was a big advantage for the independence fighters.
Bolívar saw that the Spanish army was divided. He quickly put together a new army with soldiers from Colombia, Argentina, and Peru.
Victory at Junín
With this new army, Bolívar defeated the Spanish Army on August 6, 1824. This battle took place on the fields of Junín. This victory was a crucial first step towards the final win at the Battle of Ayacucho. After this defeat, the Spanish commanders decided to reorganize their forces.
The Battle of Ayacucho and Sucre's Arrival
The Final Victory in Peru
Bolívar put Sucre in charge of continuing the military campaign in Peru. On December 9, 1824, the independence fighters won a huge victory at the Battle of Ayacucho. This battle officially recognized the independence of Peru and all of America.
After this victory, Sucre was promoted to Marshal and General in Chief. Bolívar then gave him the important job of freeing Upper Peru and helping to set up a new independent government there.
Upper Peru's Own Rebellion
Even before Sucre arrived, people in Upper Peru had already started their own fight for freedom. Since 1815, there had been a lot of guerrilla warfare in the region.
In Cochabamba on January 16, 1825, a group of soldiers rebelled. Colonel José Martínez arrested the Spanish officials and convinced other soldiers to join the independence side. He then declared the city independent.
Other towns and military groups also joined the rebellion. In Vallegrande, soldiers rebelled and removed their Spanish general on January 26. Colonel José Manuel Mercado took over Santa Cruz de la Sierra on February 14. Many Spanish soldiers changed their loyalty to the independence movement. Because of these actions, the Spanish general Olañeta left La Paz on January 22 and headed for Potosí.
La Paz Declares Independence
On January 29, 1825, General José Miguel Lanza took the city of La Paz. He declared the independence of the provinces of Upper Peru. Lanza was named the first president of Upper Peru. A few days later, on February 6, Field Marshal Sucre and his army crossed the Desaguadero River, which was the border with Peru. He entered La Paz the next day.
In Chuquisaca, another group of soldiers also joined the independence cause on February 22. They officially declared the city independent.
The End of Spanish Rule
General Pedro Antonio Olañeta was still in Potosí. He decided to continue fighting for the Spanish king. However, many of his soldiers refused to keep fighting against Sucre's powerful army.
On April 1, Colonel Carlos de Medinacelli and 300 soldiers rebelled against Olañeta. They fought the next day in the Battle of Tumusla, where Olañeta was killed. A few days later, on April 7, General José Mario Valdez surrendered. This finally ended the war in Upper Peru. It marked the victory of the local independence movement, which had been active since 1811. This also meant the end of many years of war in South America.
The Congress of Chuquisaca
Deciding the Future
On August 6, 1825, Field Marshal Antonio José de Sucre and a lawyer named Casimiro Olañeta (who was General Olañeta's nephew) called a special meeting. They invited representatives from all the provinces of Upper Peru to gather in Chuquisaca. Their goal was to decide the future of the new nation.
There were three main choices for Upper Peru:
- Join with Buenos Aires (part of what is now Argentina).
- Stay connected with Peru.
- Become completely independent from Spain, Argentina, and Peru.
Even though the governments of Buenos Aires and Peru agreed with the idea of Upper Peru becoming independent, Bolívar was worried. He thought that if Upper Peru became independent, other regions might want the same, which could cause problems for Gran Colombia. However, Bolívar did not publicly go against Sucre's decision.
The General Constituent Congress of Buenos Aires officially declared on May 9, 1925, that the four regions of Upper Peru were free to choose their own future. This cleared the way for Upper Peru to become an independent country.
Sucre was a bit annoyed by Bolívar's concerns. He showed that his decision was right and said he would follow orders. However, he also said he would leave the country because Bolívar did not share his views.
Declaration of Independence
The special meeting in Chuquisaca met again on July 9, 1825. They decided that Upper Peru would become a completely independent republic. This meant the people would rule themselves.
Representatives from Charcas, Potosí, La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz all signed the declaration. This formally declared the independence of the regions of Upper Peru as a new republic.
Bolívar and the New Nation
Naming the Country
A special rule was made that the new country in Upper Peru would be named República Bolívar. This was to honor Simón Bolívar, the great leader. He was called the "Father of the Republic and Supreme Chief of State." Bolívar thanked them but did not want to be president. Instead, he gave the job to Sucre, who had won the Battle of Ayacucho. Sucre was sworn in as the first President of Bolivia on the same day.
Later, the country's name was discussed again. A representative from Potosí named Manuel Martín Cruz suggested a new name. He said that just as Rome came from Romulus, the new nation should come from Bolívar. So, the country was renamed Bolivia.
The very next day, August 7, Sucre officially founded the Armed Forces of Bolivia. Sucre became the first commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Bolívar's Visit
When Bolívar heard about the decision to name the country after him, he was pleased. At first, he was worried about Bolivia's future as an independent republic. He thought its location in the middle of South America might lead to many wars, which, interestingly, did happen later. Bolívar had hoped Bolivia might become part of Peru or Argentina.
However, what truly changed his mind was the strong desire of the people for independence. On August 18, when he arrived in La Paz, people celebrated joyfully. The same happened when he visited Oruro, Potosí, and Chuquisaca. He received full honors from the armed forces and met with President Sucre. These warm welcomes touched Bolívar deeply. He called the new nation his "Predilect Daughter," meaning his favorite daughter. The people, in turn, called him the "Favorite Son" of their new country.
On May 18, 1826, in Lima, Bolívar signed a document on behalf of Peru. This document officially recognized Bolivia's independence.
In Spanish: Declaración de Independencia de Bolivia para niños
