Latin American History: South America
From the Darien Gap to Patagonia, South America has a long and fascinating history of booms and busts, madmen and heroes, great wealth and great poverty.
- History of Venezuela (10)
- Presidents of South America (11)
- The History of Argentina (8)
- The History of Chile (19)
- The History of Colombia (14)
- The History of Ecuador (9)
Taita Boves - Biography of Jose Tomas Boves
Violent, cruel and deadly, Jose Tomas Boves was one of Liberator Simon Bolivar's greatest adversaries. A Spanish smuggler-turned-general, Boves raised a mighty army in the Venezuelan plains which he named the "Legion of Hell." His mighty cavalry was the scourge of the patriots and Boves was almost singlehandedly responsible for the fall of the Second Venezuelan Republic.
Biography of Manuel Piar, Hero of Venezuelan Independence
General Manuel Piar was an important leader in Venezuela's struggle for independence from Spain. Although he was a skilled general and efficient recruiter, Simon Bolivar ordered him tried and executed for insubordination in 1817.
Biography of Ernesto "Che" Guevara
One of the more famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) protagonists of the Cuban Revolution, Argentine doctor Ernesto "Ché" Guevara would go on to play a key role in post-revolution Cuba. He was killed in Bolivia in 1967 while trying to stir up a Cuban-style communist revolution.
Antonio de Montesinos
On December 4, 1511, Dominican friar Antonio de Montesinos delivered a scathing sermon to the Spanish colonists on Hispaniola, criticizing them for enslaving the natives of the Caribbean. He was practically run out of town, but continued his work on behalf of better conditions for the natives until his death in 1545.
Biography of Juan Sebastián Elcano
Juan Sebastián Elcano was a Basque sailor and navigator, and the first man to successfully complete a round-the-world naval voyage. He set out from Spain in 1519 as part of the Magellan expedition and returned in 1522, having led the fleet after Magellan's death.
Biography of María Eva "Evita" Perón
Evita Perón is well-known as the subject of a very successful musical...but what was she really like? Who was this remarkable woman who had captured the attention of the world by the time of her tragic death at the age of 33?
Chavez and Bolívar
Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, said recently that he would like to reopen the famous case of the death of Simón Bolívar, who died in 1830. Why would he want to do so? Here’s the scoop.
Biography of Augusto Pinochet
Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006) was a general in the Chilean military who also served as president and dictator for almost twenty years.