Venezuelan War of Independence

Quick Facts: Who was Venezuelan War of Independence?

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Venezuelan War of Independence

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A pivotal conflict for South America, leading to the collapse of Spanish rule in Venezuela.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Venezuelan War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia de Venezuela, 1810–1823) was one of the Spanish American wars of independence of the early nineteenth century, when independence movements in South America fought a civil war for secession and against unity of the Spanish Empire, emboldened by Spain's troubles in the Napoleonic Wars. The establishment of the Supreme Caracas Junta following the forced deposition of Vicente Emparan as Captain General of the Captaincy General of Venezuela on 19 April 1810, marked the beginnings of the war. On 5 July 1811, seven of the ten provinces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela declared their independence in the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence. The First Republic of Venezuela was lost in 1812 following the 1812 Caracas earthquake and the 1812 Battle of La Victoria. Under the authority, resources and army of the New Granadan government, Simón Bolívar commanded the Admirable Campaign of 1813 to retake and liberate Venezuela, establishing the Second Republic of Venezuela in 1813; but this too did not last, falling to a combination of a local uprising and Spanish royalist reconquest of New Granada.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Only as part of Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada in 1819-20 did Venezuela achieve a lasting independence from Spain (initially as part of Gran Colombia). Following the liberation campaign of New Granada and the republican victory at the Battle of Boyacá in august 1819, New Granada became an important military and political base for the continuation of the independence struggle in northern South America. On 17 December 1819, the Congress of Angostura, convened as the Congress of Venezuela, adpoted the Fundamental Law of the Republic of Venezuela proclaiming the union of Venezuela and New Granada under the name Republic of Colombia. The union was subsequently ratified in Bogotá 1820 and later by representatives of both New Granada and Venezuela at the Congress of Cúcuta on 12 July 1821. The congress also adopted the Colombian Constitution of 1821 on 30 august 1821, establishing the constitutional framework of the new republic.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The French invasion of Spain in 1808 led to the fall of the Spanish Monarchy. Most subjects of Spain did not accept the government of Joseph Bonaparte, placed on the Spanish throne by his brother, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France. At the same time, the process of creating a stable government in Spain, which would be widely recognized throughout the empire, took two years. (See Junta (Peninsular War).) This created a power vacuum in the Spanish possessions in America, which created further political uncertainty. On April 19, 1810 the municipal council of Caracas headed a successful movement to depose the Spanish Governor and Captain-General, Vicente Emparán.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1808: 1808 Milestone — The French invasion of Spain in 1808 led to the fall of the Spanish Monarchy.
2. 1810: 1810 Milestone — The Venezuelan War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia de Venezuela, 1810–1823) was one of the Spanish American wars of independence of the early nineteenth century, when independence movements in South America fought a civil war for secession and against unity of the Spanish Empire, emboldened by Spain's troubles in the Napoleonic Wars.
3. 1811: 1811 Milestone — On 5 July 1811, seven of the ten provinces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela declared their independence in the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence.
4. 1812: 1812 Milestone — The First Republic of Venezuela was lost in 1812 following the 1812 Caracas earthquake and the 1812 Battle of La Victoria.
5. 1813: 1813 Milestone — Under the authority, resources and army of the New Granadan government, Simón Bolívar commanded the Admirable Campaign of 1813 to retake and liberate Venezuela, establishing the Second Republic of Venezuela in 1813; but this too did not last, falling to a combination of a local uprising and Spanish royalist reconquest of New Granada.
6. 1819: 1819 Milestone — Only as part of Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada in 1819-20 did Venezuela achieve a lasting independence from Spain (initially as part of Gran Colombia).
7. 1820: 1820 Milestone — The union was subsequently ratified in Bogotá 1820 and later by representatives of both New Granada and Venezuela at the Congress of Cúcuta on 12 July 1821.
8. 1821: 1821 Milestone — The congress also adopted the Colombian Constitution of 1821 on 30 august 1821, establishing the constitutional framework of the new republic.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Venezuelan War of Independence

True or False: “The Venezuelan War of Independence was solely a struggle against French influence following Napoleon's invasion of Spain.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the Napoleonic Wars created a power vacuum, the conflict was fundamentally a struggle for local autonomy and secession from the Spanish Empire itself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Venezuelan War of Independence