Today is 20 July, the anniversary of man’s first steps on the moon. But let’s talk about the fact that today is also Colombia’s Independence Day! Yujuu! This is a short and funny article, not a boring history lesson, you’ll see.
The argument over the flowerpot
This beautiful story of Colombia began over a pot of flowers. The independence of an entire country began when a very rich and powerful man didn’t want to lend his flowerpot… I think it must have been a very beautiful flowerpot.
On 20 July 1810 a Colombian (Creole) went to ask José Gonzales Llorente (Spanish) to lend him a pot of flowers for the dinner that was to be held in honour of a royal commissioner. Llorente refused because he was arrogant and didn’t want to lend anything to the Creoles. The Creoles knew he would refuse and used this as an excuse to stir up the people. That same evening, the Act of Independence was drawn up.
A first representative assembly was set up. Several uprisings took place throughout the country and Cartagena succeeded in obtaining its Independence 1 year later after a coup d’état.
La patria boba (The stupid fatherland)
The period between 1810 and 1816 was known as the ‘stupid homeland’, because it was too difficult to define how the country should be governed, so there was fighting among the patriots and a civil war.
The war continued and then Simon BolÃvar, a Venezuelan, took over the leadership of the revolt and after two decisive battles, the Battle of Pantano de Vargas and the Battle of the Boyacá Bridge in 1819, the Spanish lost control of New Granada, as Colombia was known at the time. In 1821, the Congress of Cúcuta was held and the country was named the Republic of Colombia. But it was much bigger than it is today!
Greater Colombia
Greater Colombia, as it is known to distinguish it from present-day Colombia, was made up of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama. The latter was sold to the United States for a handful of dollars at the beginning of the 20th century (no comment from us).
Colombian independence
In conclusion, although Colombia’s war of independence began on 20 July 1810, it was only 8 years later that the country finally achieved its goal.
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