Simon Bolivar was a major figure in the history of South America. His name is surrounded with an aura of romanticism, heroism and self-sacrifice for the good of his homeland. Simon had played a significant role in the history of most countries on the continent. He headed independence movements in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia and Venezuela. Bolivar was the ideologist behind the liberation movement, a brilliant speaker and organizer. His military genius, however, needn’t be overestimated. His opponents were mostly untrained guerilla fighters. While he was not a brilliant strategist or tactician, Bolivar had had a very strong spirit, and had always seen all his undertakings to a victorious end.